Any Way She Wants It
by sleeplessinatlanta
Summary: When Booth's prodding makes Brennan snap and reveal the extent of her frustrations, he offers to help her out. He thinks, he can handle it, but nothing is ever that simple. Mirror story to Dispatch's Any Way He Wants It! COMPLETE.
1. Asked and Answered

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

A/n: Okay, so I'm super excited to be posting this story because it's a ... wait for it ... a collaboration with the awesome _**Dispatch22705. **_We will be writing mirror stories around the same premise and Dispatch does a much better job explaining the whole thought behind this idea in her story, _Anyway He Wants It_, so go check it out!

**Asked and Answered**

* * *

**Thursday Night** …

"Weeell," Angela stretched the syllable out, her body reclining against the colorful couch in the break area above the forensics platform. "I think it's time I get home to my husband."

Cam shook her head in amusement. "Angela, you know very well your _husband_ is not at home."

"That's correct," Brennan supplied helpfully from her position on the table. "He's still here. It seems there were some particulates he was unable to identify, so even though we've already apprehended the culprit, Dr. Hodgins insists on —"

"Ugh," Angela interrupted with a roll of her eyes. "You guys are no fun."

"You know, you've been married for a while now, Angela," Cam pointed out in all her cynical glory. "You'd think the novelty would have worn off by now."

"Nope," Angela shot them a smug smile, turning her head to watch through the bar rails, her husband working at his station. "Maybe what I should have said was, I think it's time I drag my husband home."

"Married life _and_ motherhood certainly seem to agree with you," Cam observed, noting the glow of happiness that seemed to envelop the forensic artist on a daily basis. "No regrets, huh?"

"Zero point zero."

"There's no such thing …"

Angela ignored Brennan's attempt at correction, head tilting consideringly. "Well, zero point zero regrets about marrying Hodgins, but I guess sometimes I do wish there had been time for a good, old-fashioned bachelorette party." Angela sighed wistfully. "You know, I didn't mind giving up the big, fancy wedding, but the bachelorette party, that one really hurt."

Cam laughed out loud. "Of course it did." Suddenly she got a disturbing picture of Angela as a little girl, staging her dream bachelorette party with her dolls, instead of her dream wedding. The image made her laugh even harder and she gasped, "Well, let's just have one now."

"What?" Angela's brows rose in surprise.

"Sure," Cam nodded, warming to the idea. "Why not? There's no rule that says you can't have one after you're married."

"Well, Dr. Saroyan, the name itself suggests otherwise," Brennan piped in, but she too was smiling at the idea.

"Well, Angela may not be a bachelorette, but we are." Cam set her empty cup of coffee down on the table and gestured to her and Brennan. "And hey, if Angela feels like she missed out on something important, I say we should just do it."

"It does sound like fun," the woman in question agreed, her brown eyes turning to her best friend. "What do you think, Bren?"

"Well, anthropologically speaking, marriage can hobble personal autonomy, thus such a sexualized ritual prior to the marriage represents an important part of feminine empowerment." Considering, she addressed Angela. "Of course, for you, this wouldn't be prior to—"

"Bren," Angela laughed. "Forget anthropology, this is just about fun. You in?"

"Won't Hodgins have a problem with this?" Brennan wondered.

"Oh, please," she scoffed with an unholy gleam in her eyes. "He'll be too busy thinking about the wild, crazy drunk sex he'll get as soon as I get home."

"Okay, certain information I could live without." Cam rose from the table, rubbing a tired hand over the back of her neck. "So you just have to show up. Dr. Brennan and I will take care of the rest, right?"

"Of course," Brennan agreed immediately, a mental list already forming in her head. "Dr. Saroyan and I are both highly intelligent. I'm sure we can throw a very successful bachelorette party."

"Absolutely," Cam concurred confidently. "Just one question, Angela. Do you want low-key or the whole nine yards?"

"Oh, the whole nine yards, Cam." Her eyes gleamed mischievously. "Definitely, the whole nine yards.

**-x-**

**Seven days later …**

"Whoa, Cam," Booth whistled appreciatively. "Looking good."

"Thank you, Seeley." Cam turned in the short, flirty skirt that showcased her excellent legs. "According to Dr. Brennan's research, a seductive outfit is a requirement for a bachelorette party." She chuckled, recalling the conversation with her forensic anthropologist on the subject of appropriate attire.

"Oh, yeah, that's tonight, huh?"

Cam smiled at his casual tone. "Yes. Tonight worked best for everyone. Angela got a sitter, we have no active investigation and Michelle and one of her friends are working on a few, last minute college applications together. I was so glad she's broadening her search, I gave her permission to stay over at her friend's for a few nights." She spared a glance at her slim and feminine wristwatch, before looking at Booth again. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking over the paperwork for the case we closed last week and Bones forgot to sign the last page of her report."

"Ah, she's been distracted planning this," Cam smiled warmly. "She really wants Angela to get her whole nine yards." Inclining her head in the direction of Brennan's office, she ordered, "Go get your report signed; we're leaving in five minutes."

"Are you rushing me?" Booth asked, shoulders rolling back. "Because I gotta say, it seems like … _oh, holy shit_."

The last few words were whispered breathlessly and Cam followed his line of sight, the reason behind them, immediately apparent. She smirked at the dazed look on Booth's face as one Dr. Temperance Brennan approached them in three inch heels and a very tiny excuse for a dress.

"Booth, what are you doing here?" He seemed incapable of speech and Brennan turned to Cam. "I'm ready to go. This is appropriate for the occasion, right?"

A choked sound escaped Booth and Cam bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "Most certainly, Dr. Brennan." Taking a step closer to Booth, she elbowed him as discreetly as possible. "Booth has something for you to sign."

The sound of his name and the accompanying elbow to his ribs, brought Booth out of his trance. "Yeah …" He thrust the report forward, almost in self-defense. "Yeah, you forgot to sign the last page, Bones."

"I did?" Brennan took a step forward and he nearly took one back. "Let me see that."

She took it from his hands, scanning through the pages and Booth tried to ignore Cam's amused presence next to him. He knew he wasn't doing a very good job of concealing how sucker-punched he was feeling. But, _dear God_, he had raised his eyes and suddenly there was his partner, looking like a damn wet dream and walking towards him.

"Oh, Booth, I'm sorry," Brennan apologized. "This is actually not the final version, that's why it isn't signed." She bit her bottom lip, the way she did when she felt bad about something. "The difference is really just a few minor edits, but I must have given you the wrong copy. The correct version should be in my office, let me just go get it."

She turned to head back to her office and Booth inhaled one sharp breath at the two criss-crossing lines that were the back of that dress. "Do _not_ say a word," he hissed to Cam, before following his partner.

He leaned against the doorway, watching as she rummaged through her desk. "You look gorgeous, Bones."

The words were out before he could stop them and Brennan looked up in surprise. "I realize that was a compliment, Booth, but you're frowning so I'm unsure as to whether you're being sincere or merely observing social niceties."

"Of course I'm being sincere," he replied tersely, feeling aggravated at his own inability to compartmentalize. But who the hell would be able to compartmentalize her when she looked like _this_?

His eyes trailed over the miles of perfect skin exposed to his gaze and he swallowed, unable to stop himself from wondering if someone else would be touching all that skin tonight. Courtesy of Hodgins, he knew they had some big night planned, involving large quantities of alcohol and scantily clad men. And the bug man had zero problems with it because he knew Angela was going home to him. Right then, Booth would have traded just about anything for the same peace of mind.

"Then why are you frowning?"

"Bones," he sighed, raking an agitated hand through his hair. "I want you to be careful tonight, all right? Don't drink anything you haven't seen poured yourself, don't let anyone isolate you from …"

"Booth, I can take care of myself." Brennan just barely prevented herself from rolling her eyes. "This is not my first time going out."

"I know that …"

"Oh, here it is!" Brennan picked up the correct report, scanning through it quickly to make sure her signature was on every appropriate page. "Here you go."

She walked around her desk, extending the bound pages in his direction. Booth stepped forward, taking the report from her. She was close enough that he could smell her and his nostrils flared at the scent of her perfume.

"You're wearing new perfume," he murmured, fingers tensing around the report in his hands.

"W-what?"

"Whatever it is you're wearing," he repeated stormily. "You've never worn it before."

"How can you possibly know that?"

Booth wasn't aware, but his eyes darkened at the question. His body leaned forward just the tiniest fraction, his eyes fascinated by the curve of her lips, painted almost the same dark red as her dress. "I just know."

"Bren!" The shout of her name, clearly coming from somewhere outside her office, made Brennan blink. "Come on, sweetie, time to go!"

"I have to go," she said quickly, stepping around Booth and heading for the door. He followed her silently, watching as she walked towards Angela, who was currently wrapped around her husband.

"Angela, you can mount Hodgins later," Cam reminded her. "Let's go."

"You're looking beautiful, ladies," Hodgins complimented, releasing his wife. "Have a good time."

Angela leaned forward for one more kiss and he cupped the back of her head to keep her in place. The kiss prompted Brennan to grab one of Angela's arm and Cam the other, hauling her away. "See you at home," she smiled wickedly.

Hodgins laughed, watching all three women exit the lab. "Man, they are gonna cause a riot wherever they go tonight."

"Yeah," Booth said dryly, making Hodgins' eyebrows go up at the tone. It was then that he noticed his friend's scowl and the rigid set to his jaw. It didn't take a genius to figure out why.

"Beer?" Hodgins offered.

"Oh, yeah."

**-x-**

"Man, you are crappy company tonight," Hodgins observed mournfully.

"Thanks, Hodgins," Booth said, tipping his beer back. It was his third of the night and he was in no better mood than when he arrived at the Founding Fathers.

"Look, man, they're just out having a good time. Dr. B is not—"

"Bug man, I recommend you don't finish that sentence."

"So you don't want to talk about this?"

"What are we, girls?" Booth gave him a disbelieving look. "No, I don't want to talk about this. Not even a little bit."

"All right, all right, but can I just say one thing?" At Booth's raised eyebrow, Hodgins pushed forward. "I know what you're thinking, but come on; Angie and Cam were looking just as hot. It doesn't mean anything."

Booth set his beer down. "See, that argument doesn't help me because Ange is married and Cam is actually on the prowl tonight."

"What?" Hodgins gaped, choking on his beer. "How do you know?"

Booth shrugged. "I know Cam. She was all fidgety and looking at her watch. Classic signs."

"Well," Hodgins tried again, "that doesn't mean that—"

"Seriously, this conversation is over," Booth stopped him in his tracks, his voice telling Hodgins he spoke on the subject again at his own peril.

Despondently, he looked around the bar, unsure what to say to get Booth out of his brooding. "Ah … you want another beer?"

"No." Booth set aside his half-finished bottle and threw some bills on the table. "I need to drive home."

"Dude, if you want to get wasted, I can drive you home."

"Thanks," Booth chuckled appreciatively. "But I'm good. I'm going to head out, okay?"

"Yeah," Hodgins rose from the table as well. "I should go home myself. Tuck my child in." His blue eyes sparkled. "Wait for my indubitably drunken wife."

Booth slapped Hodgins on the back in that way guys do when they are saying good-bye and drove home. He walked through his front door and to his bedroom without bothering to turn on a single light. Standing at the foot of his bed, he knew falling asleep was going to be a problem. Stripping his clothes off, he was somewhat surprised to realize that he was hard. With a grunt, he headed for the shower. His hand hesitated on the knob, debating whether to make the water cold or warm.

_Cold or warm. Cold or warm_.

Normally, Booth wouldn't hesitate to just climb in the shower and take care of business. A few dirty thoughts, a few tight strokes and he would be feeling a lot more relaxed, except already he knew that it wasn't going to be that simple tonight. Because he knew that if he jerked off tonight, it was going to be thinking about his partner. Over the years, he had tried to avoid that particular mind trap. Not that he hadn't had slips—because he sure as hell had—but he did make an effort not to go there. Because as good as it was in the moment, it always left him feeling aching and empty afterwards. Worse, it always, _always_, left him even more desperate to have her in his arms.

With a sigh, Booth climbed in the shower; the warm water hit him and he stopped fighting it. Tonight he was willing to pay the price.

Wrapping one hand firmly around his cock, he let the images wash over him.

That smoky red dress, so beautiful against her pale skin, was hiked around her waist. _He_ had hiked it up, spreading her open and going to his knees in front of her. On a groan, his hand glided up and down and then she was the one on her knees, leaving dark red lipstick all over his dick. The head of his erection was almost throbbing and he wrapped his fist around it, squeezing tightly.

"_Damn_," he breathed the word harshly, the pleasure almost obscene. His hips shot forward into his hand and Booth could almost feel the soft skin of _her _hips under his fingers and his body slamming into her from behind, the papers on her desk scattering to the floor in disarray. But at end of the day, where he really wanted her was in his bed. Absolutely naked under him so he could touch her every damn where. Kiss every centimeter of skin. Bury himself so deeply inside her, he'd never find his way out.

"Bones," her name escaped, the way it always did when the orgasm rushed at him fueled by nothing but her. Fuck, it was always her. "Oh, god, Bones."

In his mind, she enveloped him completely. Her arms and legs going around him, her body moving under his, and her scent—tonight it was that damn perfume he couldn't get out of his mind—wrapping all around him.

With a shuddering breath, Booth's forehead hit the tiled wall in front of him, his body drained. The orgasm was so damn good, he could barely move, but all too soon reality set in and he forced himself to finish his shower.

Damp, towel wrapped around his waist, he stood at the foot of his empty bed. How many times had he pictured her there, in the middle of his bed, pretty dark hair spread across his pillows? How many more times would there be in the future?

Looking down at the sea of white sheets made something painful lodge in his throat.

_Fucking A_.

**-x-**

**The next morning …**

She was sitting behind her desk, typing something on her computer and sporting that irritated frown that always meant she had gotten some sort of request from her publisher or her editor that she considered less than reasonable. If he had to guess, he would say she was shooting them back one of her classic emails; polite, so polite, but short and succinct and leaving no doubt that she was going to do whatever the heck she wanted.

He could tell all that with just one glance at her; but he had no freaking clue whether she'd had sex last night. It annoyed him to no end. He was a trained investigator, for god's sake. One look at Cam on his way in and he'd known she'd gotten lucky last night—probably one of those rare one-night stands she treated herself to once every couple of years. Like a mini-vacation, she'd told him once in that deadpan tone that made him laugh.

So yeah, he was a damn good investigator, but he couldn't get a read on his partner. Booth was pretty sure he knew why. Same reason why interrogating someone when you were too close to the case was worthless; the more the answered mattered, the harder it was to get it.

"Are you planning on coming in, Booth?" She aimed an arch look in his direction. "Or will you be lurking in the doorway all day?"

"Good morning to you too, sunshine," he shot back, walking into her office. "Let me guess, your publisher wants something."

Brennan rose from her chair, slightly annoyed at the accurate observation. "Why are you here?"

"We have a session with Sweets," he said quickly. "Thought I'd pick you up a little early, grab a bite …"

"Oh, I forgot about that. I can't make it." She walked by him briskly to where her lab coat was hanging. "Didn't you see my grad students out there?"

"Yeah," Booth shrugged. "Was wondering what that was about. What's with the squint invasion?"

"Examination."

"Ah." Booth's eye narrowed in confusion. "You have more students than that, though."

"Yes," she nodded, shrugging into the lab coat. "I'm conducting the examination in groups of four. There are too many to do it all at once."

"So you want me to call Sweets and tell him to reschedule us," he guessed.

"If you wouldn't mind."

Booth's eyes followed her fingers as she buttoned up her lab coat and he watched with some surprise as she walked back to her desk and opened a drawer.

"Headache, Bones?" he asked softly as she swallowed two aspirins. "Maybe you had a little bit too much fun last night."

"No, I had exactly the right amount."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Without realizing it, he took a step forward, all his hackles raised by her response. "What exactly were you up to last night, Bones?"

There was something in his voice that warned her to be careful, but it hadn't escaped Brennan that he had been scrutinizing her, much the same way he scrutinized suspects in his interrogation room, and it made her bristle. "What exactly do you want to know, Booth?"

She rounded her desk, coming close enough that he caught her scent. It wasn't that freakin' perfume that had tortured him all night, but it was just as intoxicating. She always smelled so damn good and it pissed him off. "Did you take someone home last night?"

Her eyes widened a little, probably in surprise that he'd actually asked the question. "And how is that any of your business?"

He bit back a humorless laugh. She was something else. It was all fine and dandy for her to stick her pert nose into his business, but when the tables were turned, she was all righteous indignation. Was that fair? Fuck, no.

"I'm not in the mood for games," Booth gritted out, arms crossed over his chest. "Answer the damn question."

Oh, she was definitely being interrogated, Brennan concluded in outrage. Maybe it was that very thought that made her snap.

"What if I did?" His lips thinned and his eyes flashed, but she wasn't going to back down. "What if I spent all night having sex? Maybe I did pick someone up. Someone who was tall and dark and I took him home and I let him fuck me everywhere; my living room, my bedroom, my bathroom."

"Bones …"

"Everywhere," she repeated, blue eyes drilling into brown. "What if I said I couldn't get enough, that he fucked me so hard, I can still feel him …" He took an involuntary step back and she took one forward. "What if I went home alone, instead?"

Booth swallowed hard, feeling nearly stunned. His throat worked, but before he could even begin to form a thought, she took another step forward, her blue lab coat nearly brushing the lapels of his gray suit.

"What if I spent all goddamn night tossing and turning in bed," she breathed, the hint of bitterness in her tone difficult to disguise. "Trying to prevent myself from fantasizing about the one person I shouldn't even be thinking about like that. Fighting it, until I couldn't take it anymore and then all I could do was strip down to my panties and make myself come."

A small, barely audible sound escaped his lips and she licked her own which were suddenly dry. "And it was good, dipping my hand between my legs, touching my own wetness until my body arched off the bed and I cried out in relief. It was good, but it wasn't enough."

Her taunting voice turned hoarse and nearly angry. "Is that what you really want to know? That masturbation is not enough. That I want the real thing. That I _need_ it so badly, I almost feel like I'm going crazy. Have I confessed enough? Have all your questions been answered to your satisfaction, Agent Booth?"

Even if he could have formulated an answer, she was already walking out, leaving him frozen in place. Her words flashed through his mind like a reel and all Booth could do was brace his hands on the desk in front of him and breathe. The first few sentences had horrified him and he'd almost turned around and walked out of her office. But by the time she was done, he was fairly certain that she'd spent last night the same way he had: using her own hands and her imagination.

White-hot heat rose up his spine at the way she'd sounded; hot and desperate. And he was pretty sure all that desperation was for him. Whatever else was going on in that brilliant head of hers, she wanted him. Maybe she just wanted to satisfy those biological urges of hers, but not just anyone would do. The fact she wasn't out picking someone up told Booth that no one else would do; she was hot for him.

And hell, he was fucking desperate for her.

**-x-**

"As you all know, this exam constitutes forty percent of your final grade." Brennan's clipped voice brought every grad student to attention. Even Clark, who was merely assisting, stood a little bit straighter. "I hope you are all prepared."

Four eager heads nodded yes as Brennan stepped onto the platform, hands going up to collect her hair in a ponytail.

"Mr. Bray," she announced, taking her position at the head of the stainless steel table and accepting the clipboard Clark extended. "We'll begin with you. There are a number of injuries visible on this set of remains. Please, identify one of them." Her eyes drilled into him. "In detail."

He gave her an above average answer and Brennan noted it down before moving on to the next student. The perky blonde girl who received the same question reminded her eerily of Daisy, but was not nearly as intelligent as the exhausting Ms. Wick. Her answer was acceptable at best and she made the corresponding notation. Brennan nodded to Clark and he asked the same question to the third student. She listened carefully to the answer, blocking everything else out; mainly the voice in her head asking stridently whether she'd lost her damn mind.

Shaking her head, she refocused on the task at hand. "Mr. Fisher, please examine the scoring on the left scapula. Tell me what type of weapon you believe left the injury. Please, explicate your reasoning."

As Fisher leaned down to examine the bone, Brennan saw Booth approach the platform. Her fingers tensed on the clipboard in her hands entirely without her permission.

"Whoa, squints, hard at work." He looked around, chuckling at the air of intensity surrounding the four students, before addressing his partner. "Sweets bitched and moaned, but he rescheduled us for next Wednesday."

"Fine." Her eyes flickered to his and then focused determinedly on Fisher, who was staring at the bone in his hands as if his depressed life depended on it. "Booth, if you'll excuse us, Dr. Edison and I are conducting an examination …"

"Sure. Good luck, junior squints," he offered amiably, smoothing down his tie as he turned around to walk off the platform. "Oh, hey, Bones …" He half-turned, one hand on the rail of the stairway leading up to the raised platform. "Rebecca's taking Parker to visit her mom so she switched me this weekend for the next. So that project you mentioned earlier? If you want, I can help you out with it. I'm pretty sure there's enough space at my place, so if you want to pass by, we can take care of it anywhere there. I think, almost everywhere, really."

Just like that, he was down the steps and walking out of the lab. Brennan stared blindly at the clipboard in her hands. Her entire body felt flushed and she could only hope it wasn't reflecting on her skin.

"Dr. Brennan …" Fisher had placed the scapula back on the table and appeared ready to give his answer. "I have arrived at a conclusion."

Clearing her throat delicately, she nodded, "Go ahead."

Fisher gave his answer, a correct and well-reasoned one, but the sense of satisfaction she usually got after one of her students performed admirably was obfuscated by the buzzing in her head.

_Had her partner really just offered to fuck her … everywhere?_


	2. Offer and Acceptance

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

Enjoy!

**Offer and Acceptance **

* * *

_If you want, I can help you out with it. We can take care of it anywhere … everywhere, really._

Oh my god, she was going to lose her mind if she didn't stop thinking about it. Unfortunately, the words echoed inside her like a relentless beat for the rest of the day.

Was there any possible way that she had misunderstood? She had tortured herself with that particular question all day, as well. It didn't seem possible, particularly in light of their earlier conversation in her office.

Brennan grimaced at the reminder. Conversation was not really the right word for what had happened. More like she had completely obliterated the admittedly thin filter between her mouth and her brain and informed her partner just how desperate for sex she was. And he had offered her a solution.

Part of her realized accepting his offer would be incredibly reckless. This was her partner. Booth. She couldn't simply use him for sex. But the other part of her, the one that was excruciatingly horny—the word seemed crass, but it was unquestionably accurate—was loudly reminding her that he offered. And the simple reality was that she wasn't just horny, she was horny for_ him_. Bastard. Why did he have to distill sex appeal the way other men distilled cologne?

But the better question was, why was she so hopelessly susceptible to him? He was good-looking, yes, but she had met quite a few attractive men over the years. She was smart enough to know that it was more than the way he looked, it was _him_. It was the thought of him running those hands over her, the way his eyes would darken when he undressed her, the way he would feel inside her, the way his voice would sound when he moaned her name. And a million other things she was desperate to experience.

With a frustrated sound, she rose from her desk, looking blindly at the empty hallway outside her office. A glance at the clock told Brennan she was likely the only person in the entire Jeffersonian. Not only because it was nearly nine, but because it was nearly nine on a Friday night.

Her gaze landed on her cell phone and she picked it up, scrolling through her contacts. She hesitated before hitting the little green button.

Was this really a good idea? She was pretty sure it wasn't, but she made the call anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I'm just leaving the lab." There was a sound of outrage on the other side of the line that made Brennan smile. "Do you want to grab a drink?"

**-x-**

"Bren, is everything all right?"

"Sure." Brennan stirred the dregs of her vodka sour with a little red straw, giving Angela an innocent look. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you called me, kind of out of the blue, and asked to go for drinks," Angela explained patiently. "I gotta figure something's up."

"Nothing is _up_." Brennan's nose wrinkled on the word. "We're friends. I believe meeting a friend for drinks is an acceptable social ritual."

"Oh sweetie, that stopped working on me years ago." Angela patted her arm affectionately. "Now, tell me what's going on."

"Nothing, Ange. Really." Brennan could see that Angela was far from convinced and in truth, she wanted her friend's advice on the whole thing, but she had learned a long time ago that what went on between her and her partner was just theirs. "I'm just … I just … I never cared about going home to an empty apartment before, but now … sometimes, I feel like maybe I do … care, you know."

"You don't want to be alone." Angela's eyes softened. "That's normal, sweetie. There's nothing wrong with that."

"But I am alone," Brennan pointed out in all her blessed pragmatism. "Shouldn't I just accept that? I should be rational and—"

"Oh, Bren, you don't have to accept anything," she quickly interjected. "And you don't always have to be rational either. Sometimes, you have to stop rationalizing and just act, right?" Angela could sense that there was something important in this conversation and her brain whirled trying to get her point across. She didn't know why, but it felt imperative that Brennan understand what she was trying to say. "I mean, think about the invention of something really amazing."

"Oh, like the X-ray."

"Really? The X-ray is … okay, never mind," Angela shook her head. "The point is, what if the person that invented it had never just done it, you know. What if they were too busy _thinking_ about it and had never acted, then something amazing would have never happened."

"Well, the invention of the X-ray was mostly accidental, but I think I understand your point." Brennan smiled the way she always did when she was about to impart what she felt was a particularly important point. "You know, when talking about his work, Roentgen actually said, 'I didn't think, I investigated'."

"And who's that, sweetie?"

"He discovered the X-ray." Brennan frowned in puzzlement. "We were just taking about this, Angela."

"Right, of course. Roentgen." Angela chuckled, but then she said seriously, "At some point, you have to stop thinking and just …"

"Investigate?"

"Yes!" Angela laughed, partly in relief that Brennan seemed to have understood her point. And at the end of the night, when she was hugging her friend goodnight, Angela wondered what exactly Brennan planned on investigating.

**-x-**

On Saturday night, Brennan actually stood in front of her small television engaging in what Booth called channel surfing. With an annoyed groan, she turned off the screen and threw the remote on the nearest flat surface.

It was too early to actually go to bed, but she knew that heading to the lab and attempting to do some work would be nothing but a waste of time. For just a second, she considered calling Angela again, but almost immediately Brennan discarded the idea. There was no way she would be able to get away with it two nights in a row. Already, she was worrying about how much she had revealed the night before. Brennan kept replaying their discussion in her head, trying to figure out whether anything she'd said could lead Angela to the conclusion that screwing her partner's brains out was at the forefront of her mind. It seemed impossible to Brennan, but with the way Angela's mind worked, it was difficult to be sure.

_Stop thinking and investigate_.

Except she couldn't stop thinking. Thinking was what she did best. The only problem was, there was only one thing she could think about lately; her partner sliding between her legs and slamming inside her, over and over again.

God. She was on fire, just thinking about it. Choosing the logical course of action, Brennan jumped in the shower, cooling herself down, but when she was done, her body was damp and soft and she still felt ridiculously excited.

With a shrug, the robe she donned getting out of the bathroom pooled at her feet, the soft material gliding down her body like a caress as it fell. Naked, she slid beneath her sheets, her body breaking out in goosebumps as the material touched her bare skin. Without conscious thought, her hand moved between her legs and a low moan broke the silence.

Brennan panted softly, fingers sliding slippery inside her folds. Her breathing quickened in tandem with her strokes and she hovered frustratingly on the edge. Her mind immediately tried to supply her with a visual that made her curse.

"No," she murmured defiantly, unwilling to give in to her rebellious mind. She was going to do this on her own, without letting him interfere. In frustration, she kicked off her sheets and flipped on her stomach.

The weight of her body made the press of her fingers more substantial, making her groan. Her skin was slightly sweaty and the cool air conditioning hit her bare back like a caress. And the moment that happened … _Strong, male fingers grabbing her hips_ … Stop.

Her hips jerked, sinking down into her own fingers. She was very wet, her clit pounding, but she couldn't push herself over. So close, but she needed more. She needed …_ his body, warm and hard, pressing against her, his fingers digging into her skin as he plunged inside her from behind_ …

"Damn it." The curse was moaned as she gave in. Sweet relief spread through Brennan, fueled simply by the delicious thought of her partner wrapping his arms around her waist and pounding her, over and over again.

**-x-**

On Sunday night, Brennan stood in front of a lab table, eyes staring at the remains in front of her unseeing.

Tired of pacing her apartment, she had decided to be productive and go into work, but she had spent the last two hours staring blindly at the bones in front of her. She couldn't remember the last time that work had failed to soothe her. For her, bones always provided an escape. Always. And it irritated her to no end that tonight even work wasn't enough to block out her partner and his … offer.

It was absolutely crazy, wasn't it? What the hell was he thinking? How could she agree to this? How could she not? It was the one line they had never crossed and after all this time, it seemed so dangerous. Oh, but so irresistible.

Her eyes flickered to her wristwatch. It was almost eleven. Instinctively, Brennan knew that once the weekend ended, that would be the end of this insanity. Somehow, she was almost certain that if she just headed home now and went to bed, come Monday, it would be like it never happened. They would never acknowledge the fact that he had offered her sex. Or that she had turned it down. It would be just one more unspoken thing between them. They were good at that. Because for every heart-wrenching honest feeling they had revealed to each other—and they _both_ done that—there was even more that went unspoken.

Go home. Go to bed. _Spend another sleepless night, tossing and turning_.

"That is completely irrational." With an irritated growl, Brennan snapped off her latex gloves. "I've been offered a solution and I should take advantage of it." Her heart beat erratically as she disposed of the gloves, but she refused to acknowledge the lack of composure.

Determination washed over her as she grabbed her car keys and walked out of the office.

Sex. She needed it and he was willing to give it to her. And the truth was that she just didn't have enough willpower to turn it down.

Sex. They would both go into it with eyes wide open. No need to bring up their past or their past feelings. Just Sex.

She would be sure to remember that.

**-x-**

Twenty minutes till midnight.

Booth's eyes trailed to the clock hanging on his wall for the hundredth time that night.

_Had he been too subtle? Was there any possible way she hadn't understood him? _

He snorted in disbelief. No freaking way. She wasn't_ that_ clueless. She totally knew what he meant. And clearly of the two of them, she was the only one with any common sense left since it appeared she wasn't showing up.

Oh, well. He wasn't going to take it personally.

_Yeah, right._ When had ever_ not_ taken any of her rejections personally? _That's because they are personal, you dumbass. _Okay. Enough.

With a shake of his head, Booth rose from his couch. He had spent all weekend agonizing over his not so subtle invitation and it was clearly time to stop. It was probably for the best. After everything that had happened between them, what the hell made him think that he could sex up his partner and just leave it at that?

Really, he should be grateful that her no-show meant they weren't going to open those particular floodgates. Except, he wasn't. Not really. Because the twisted, inescapable truth was that he was freakin'_ dying_ to sex up his partner—and had been, pretty much from day one.

_THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._

Booth was so inside his head, it took him a second to realize someone was knocking on his front door. For a moment, he thought his heart might have actually stopped. But then it was racing all too fast and he had to take a calming breath before going to open the door.

"This is just sex, right?" Brennan pretty much spat the words out and Booth could only blink. For the life of him, he couldn't tell whether she wanted a yes or a no to that question. But at that moment, he might have just told her the sky was green if that was what she wanted to hear.

Instead, he opened the door wider and stepped aside. "You wanna come in, Bones?"

Brennan's eyes narrowed at his mild tone, but she swept inside. Her bravado took a bit of a hit when she realized that she was actually inside his apartment, about to go forward with this. "I guess … I should have made sure that I didn't misinterpret your words on—"

Booth closed the door, leaning back against it. "You didn't misinterpret anything."

"Oh." She swallowed, unsure what to make of his calm, composed attitude. "Right." Her eyes traveled the room, before settling back on his. "Then yes. I would like your … help."

"Just so there are no misunderstandings," he clarified, refusing to have any miscommunication on this matter. "You're here for sex, right? You want it and you want me to give it to you?"

"Yes." Brennan snapped the word out in irritation. Usually, she was a fanatical advocate of accuracy; disliking euphemisms, imprecise terminology, and vague metaphors. But he was way too calm and she was a mess and it irritated her to no end. Not to mention that his to-the-point-clarification reminded her she was weak. So damn weak. Less than two days and she had given in. "Let's just get it over with."

Booth's eyebrows shot up. "I think death row inmates head to their execution with more enthusiasm than that." Not that he doubted his ability to get her damn enthusiastic about the whole thing, but if there was one thing he didn't want tomorrow morning it was regrets. There were already enough regrets between them, fuck if he was going to add this to the list. "Look, Bones … we don't have to do this."

Her eyes widened. "Are you rescinding your offer?"

"What? No." His voice rose in volume and he made an effort to tone it back down. "Look, you just don't seem very sure and if you just want to go home, I understand." She was looking at him as if his words made no sense, so he gave her a reassuring smile. "Or, you know, we can go grab a bite and forget all about it. We don't have to do this."

"_You_ don't want to do this." Her tone was distinctly accusatory. "You're reverse pedaling, aren't you?"

"It's backpedaling, Bones," he corrected in exasperation. "And I'm doing no such thing. I already told you I'm not rescinding anything."

"And I already told you that I want to engage in intercourse with—"

"Fine," he bit out before she could finish the sentence. Booth was certain her word choice was designed to annoy him. The woman could try the patience of a saint, he'd give her that. He eyed her darkly before taking a calming breath.

"Fine," Booth repeated softly, affecting the air of composure she had so effectively disturbed. "You want it, you got it." He was determined that if anyone was going to be off-balance here, it would be her. "Strip, Bones."

Something flashed in her eyes and he was almost certain it was excitement. For one moment, the death grip she had on her keys tightened, but then she dropped them. Without a word, she yanked her shirt off, letting it join her keys on the floor. Her pants went next and then she was just standing there in tiny underwear. It wasn't silky, revealing lingerie by any means, just peach-colored cotton panties with a matching bra. Except that it was Bones in her tiny, peach underwear and he didn't think anything could ever be sexier.

In two steps he was standing in front of her, hands at her waist. He could see the fall and rise of her chest was more pronounced and his own breathing quickened as he slid one hand over her hip, fingers grazing the edge of her panties.

"Booth …" Her hands curled into his T-shirt, her expression almost hesitant and he realized that hesitancy was for him. She was worried for him, concerned about his inability to compartmentalize.

His answer was to slide his hand inside her panties and cup her. "Do you want an orgasm?" The pads of his fingers rubbed her soft folds and he could feel her wetness even though his fingers weren't even inside her yet. "Yes or no?"

They both knew the answer to that question and her concerned expression was being quickly replaced by a healthy dose of irritation. "Answer me, Bones." His voice was husky, but his tone was mild. He _could_ compartmentalize and he would damn well show her. It was impossible not to get good at something that you did on a near daily basis and when it came to compartmentalizing his feelings for her, he was a freaking master.

"Yes," she hissed, legs widening automatically.

His fingers plunged inside her without warning. The first sound out of her mouth was a gasp of surprise, the second a blissful moan. When her head dropped back, he tightened the arm around her waist and drove his fingers faster. Her hands held on to his shoulders, her nails biting into him.

She was so on the edge, it didn't take him very long. He fucked her deep, making sure to press against her clit with every stroke and she erupted. Her body shuddered and she actually cursed when she came, fascinating him. It was strange, but erotic to hear the dirty word escape her pretty lips in a hoarse moan.

Dazed, Brennan dropped her head on his shoulder, catching her breath. She breathed him in, certain that this was the closest one could get to high without the benefit of mind-altering drugs.

When he whispered softly in her ear, "What do you want now, Bones?" she knew there was only one answer.

"Fuck me, Booth." Brennan almost couldn't believe she was asking, but the words dropped raw and hoarse, against his shoulder. "Just fuck me."

"Oh, I will." His hands grabbed her waist, his gaze dark and nearly predatory. "Every fucking where."


	3. Confusion of the Issue

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones

A/n: Hey, hey ... because even when there's no new episode, there's still Bones magic out there! And by magic, I clearly mean smut. Lots and lots of smut. Very smutty chapter, so read in an appropriate location, lol. By now, you know this is a collab with the awesome **_Dispatch22705_**. Enjoy!

**Confusion of the Issue**

* * *

He was more than ready to fuck her in every single square inch of his apartment.

Swiftly, Booth yanked down her panties and grabbed her hips, raising her onto the nearest flat surface—his dining hall table. For a moment, as her legs wrapped around him and she unzipped him, he almost asked her if she was sure. Almost. But, in the end, he merely locked eyes with her and slammed home.

She had made her choice, multiple times. When she showed up at his door, when she undressed, and yet again, when she asked him to fuck her. She gave him her answer and he was done second-guessing every damn thing.

Her hands fisted his T-shirt, holding on as he pistoned inside her. Blue eyes blazed in abandon and pink lips parted in husky moans. She was so ready, so fucking tight and dripping wet, it made him shudder. It made him remember she was desperate for this. For _him_. Whether curiosity, need, desire …whatever drove her, it drove her to him. Whatever relief her body sought, whatever pleasure she was hungry to experience, she wanted it to be him. And he was going to damn well make sure she got it.

_Damn well make sure she never forgets it, either._

The last thought popped up insidiously, but he couldn't deny it. Not when she was coming apart in his arms, the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen that of her eyes flashing dark blue in release.

Panting heavily, her forehead dropped to his chest and he throbbed inside her. Almost unconsciously, Booth stroked her hair, willing his body not to come. Her slick internal muscles rippled around him, making the proposition a lot more difficult than it sounded. But he was going to be wasted once he unloaded inside her and he wanted to make her come again before that happened.

Holding her securely, he lifted her from the table, groaning when the movement rocked her against him. "Shit," he gasped, walking the few steps to the couch and dropping down heavily with her on his lap.

Brennan made a little purring sound against his throat, inhaling him. He smelled so intrinsically male; she couldn't resist flicking out her tongue and tasting his skin. "That was fantastic," she breathed, utterly appreciative of the relief he'd given her.

"We're not done," Booth warned, fingers automatically tensing around her hips. "I just … I need to get some protection, Bones."

"Oh." That was a fairly important consideration she'd forgotten, Brennan realized. "Yes, you're right."

"I'll be right back," he promised, dropping a kiss on her shoulder and gently lifting her.

With a satisfied sigh, Brennan leaned back against the couch. She felt thoroughly fucked and it was delicious. With a little wriggle, she took off the panties that were still tangled about her legs. Her bra was in place as well and she flicked the catch, discarding the material and freeing her breasts. They felt heavy and tender and she wanted him to cup her in those large, warm hands. In truth, she wanted those hands of his all over her.

When Booth walked out into the living room again, he had obviously discarded all his clothes in his bedroom because he was completely naked. And he had a condom on, which told Brennan she was going to get fucked all over again. Low in her belly, something went very tight and her breathing went a little shallow as she admired his very hard body. It occurred to her that she would have enjoyed undressing him herself, but she did appreciate the efficiency his naked status provided.

Booth inhaled sharply as she rose from the couch sinuously and he got a good look at her, fully naked. She was all smooth, pale skin and soft curves in all the right places.

"So damn beautiful," he breathed almost to himself, his arms wrapping around her and plastering her body to his. Stroking his hands down her back, he cupped her ass and buried his face in the curve of her neck. "How do you want it, Bones?" Booth whispered the question amidst kisses on the sweet spot between neck and shoulder. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you."

She didn't say a word, but he knew she was assessing. Finally, she drew away from him and turned around, bending forward to brace her hands on the back of the couch. He nearly gasped at the erotic picture and hazily wondered how many positions she considered and discarded before deciding on this one.

"Like this?" he rasped, closing the small gap between them and pressing tightly against her. His hands ran over her, moving over her tummy and up until he was cupping the heavy weight of her breasts. She let out the sexiest moan and he growled a little, squeezing those perfectly rounded globes. "I need to be inside you."

"Yes," she said huskily, stomach clenching in anticipation. "Yes."

He cupped her hips and her legs parted a little more. Booth stroked inside her and groaned. "Damn." The angle sent him deep inside her tightness and the view of her rounded ass under his hands made him go even harder. "Good choice."

"Oh, god, Booth," she moaned it harshly when he stroked nearly all the way out and then plunged back in. "God, you feel so fucking _good_."

"Bones," he gasped her name, eyes going wide at the curse word. He didn't know why he was surprised, this was the woman who'd told him to fuck her, after all, but he was and Booth wondered how many times he could get her to curse in that husky tone throughout the night. "Bones … Jesus, Bones, you're so tight."

And hot and soft and just so damn perfect, he almost wasn't sure it wasn't some kind of fantasy. His hips pistoned, over and over, driving hard and fast and deep inside her. She dropped her head forward between her outstretched arms and her hair cascaded forward too, exposing her back. Before he even realized it, Booth was raining wet, open-mouthed kisses all over the silky smooth skin. He moved a hand between her legs, spearing his fingers through her folds and feeling the plump, slick flesh that welcomed his driving cock so silkily. Her hips jerked, her walls clenched on his dick and he knew she was right on the edge.

"Yes," Booth whispered, pounding her in smooth thrusts even as she screamed in pleasure. "Yeah, I want you to come so hard."

Returning his hand to her hip, he tightened his grip as she shuddered through the climax. He could feel his own orgasm buzzing in every inch of his skin. Everything combined to drive him insane; her body which seemed custom made for him, her soft curves under his hands, her shuddering breaths and her scream of pleasure. Every. Single. Thing. Everything about her just shattered him and he simply splintered inside her in mindless ecstasy.

Brennan's body collapsed back into him and Booth circled an arm around her waist and dropped to the couch.

"You ever heard the phrase soul-sucking orgasm?" he panted dazedly.

"No, but I can infer meaning from context," she replied weakly. "And I concur."

She seemed to be making herself comfortable on the couch and he carefully slipped out of her body and went to dispose of the condom. By the time he got back, her hands were tucked neatly under her head and her eyes were closed.

Naked Sleeping Beauty on his couch, he thought on a sigh, stretching his body alongside hers on the narrow space. Her head tucked precisely under his chin and he dropped a kiss on her hair. His last thought scared the crap out of him because he realized that every day he'd waited for this had been so damn worth it.

**-x-**

Thirst woke her, but she was trapped between his body and the couch and didn't want to disturb him.

Instead, she studied him.

Brennan had been doing that for years, learning him in ways she had never wanted to learn anyone else. And she had learned a lot. Little things like the way he took his coffee and much bigger ones, like the fact that his first broken bone had been at his father's hands.

She learned that his wounds were different than hers, but they went just as deep. She learned he used sarcasm as a defense mechanism and humor to keep others at bay. She learned to gauge his vulnerability by the curve of his lips and his moods by the type of tie he wore that day.

And so far tonight, she had learned the pitch of his voice right after an orgasm and the taste of his skin right at the base of his throat. She had learned he fit perfectly inside her body and she'd learned that the knowledge she acquired just wasn't enough. She wanted more, quite a lot more.

Lightly, she traced a fingertip over his profile, gasping when she reached his lips and he nipped at her finger.

"You're awake."

"So are you." His eyes were still closed, but he added, "And you're studying me like you have me in your lab under a microscope."

"That's untrue," she defended automatically, even though he might be right. "I … I was just looking at you … I didn't mean—"

"It's all right, Bones," he interrupted softly, eyes opening at her distress. "I was teasing. I know you just like to learn."

"I do," she said it almost shyly and he couldn't help tracing the curve of her lips with his fingers. "Booth, I'm thirsty."

"Ah, that's why you were staring at me," he teased, sitting up and grabbing her hand to guide her to the kitchen. "Willing me awake so you could get to the fridge."

"That's impossible, Booth." Her eyes tracked his naked body as they moved through the apartment. "Such possibility would be tantamount to mind control, which is pure science fiction."

Booth opened the refrigerator and handed her one of the purified water bottles she loved to drink. She popped the cap and tilted the bottle to her lips and he lost all interest in arguing with her about the possibility of mind control.

_She was fucking perfect_.

Her shoulders smooth and flawless and sloping down to firm, high breasts that were absolutely gorgeous. Her pretty areolas were just a shade lighter than her dark pink nipples and they looked so absolutely lickable his throat went dry. His gaze followed the way her pale throat worked as she chugged the water, skimming down to her flat tummy and the curve of her waist. She was tiny there, but her waist flared out into rounded, womanly hips he found fit perfectly between his hands. The entire package was completed by long, shapely legs he couldn't wait to feel wrap around him again while he pounded inside her.

He wanted to fuck her hard all over again, but first, he wanted to gorge himself on her.

Unconsciously, Booth pressed closer to her. Brennan slowly lowered the bottle of water to the counter and watched her partner. Whatever was going through his mind had made his eyes darken and he seemed almost in a trance when he raised a hand and brushed his fingers over the tip of one breast.

"Booth?"

"You're absolutely flawless," he breathed and her eyes widened at the reverence in his tone.

No one had ever looked at her like that, like she was some work of art or something equally worthy of stunned admiration. Certainly, no one had ever sounded like he did and it made her breath catch in her throat. _Dazzled_. The word flittered through her mind, along with the thought that this feeling of rightness could only come with him. Something like panic made Brennan raise her hands to his chest, touching him automatically soothing the chaos in her mind. Before she could put any of it into words, his hand was skating down her body, skimming over her belly and brushing her thighs. "I want to touch you everywhere."

Excitement fired through her body, pushing aside everything else. His body, toned and hard and perfectly warm was so close to hers, his lips hovering over hers, eyes focused on her face.

"Yes," she couldn't help whispering. "Whatever you want."

"I want to put my mouth on your—" Booth stopped short, realizing a very dirty word was about to come out of his mouth and he had no idea if she liked that kind of thing. "Bones, tell me something. What words do you like?"

"Words?" Her voice came out breathy as his fingers worked themselves between her thighs.

"Yeah, you know, if I want to tell you how soft you feel right here …" The pads of his fingers skimmed over the edge of her sex pointedly. "What word do you want to hear? The correct term or the slang?"

"Oh." It finally dawned what he was asking and for some reason she felt ready to flush. Which made no sense because it was a perfectly valid and rational inquiry. "The correct terminology is too clinical to be sexually arousing."

"Slang it is then," he concluded, somewhat surprised considering her passion for proper terminology. But it made sense too since using clinical words was probably not conducive to getting in the mood.

"I assume you agree?"

"Oh yeah," Booth purred, slipping one finger carefully into her. She was nicely damp and he was desperate to know what she tasted like. "Bones, please tell me you like getting your pussy licked because I want to eat you out so badly."

Her hips rocked in reaction to his words and her lips parted on a gasp. "Yes." At her answer, his tongue swiped over his bottom lip in involuntary anticipation. "Do … do you enjoy that, then? Because I know not every …oh."

He dropped to his knees, kissing a straight line down her body. And that was her answer. His lips brushed over the soft curls at the apex of her thighs before he spread her legs wider and cupped her ass, tilting her into his mouth. Before tasting her, he inhaled and Booth could feel his dick going hard at the musky scent of her arousal.

_Fuck yeah, I'm going to enjoy this._

He led with his tongue, groaning at the first sweet taste of her. She was smooth and soft and he toyed with the pliable flesh, testing different shapes and pressure. The tip of his tongue flicked her clit, once and the again before he tried deeper, longer swipes.

"Oh, oh … Booth, god, yes … fuck, fuck, that's … yes!" The words tripped harshly from her mouth amidst pants and moans. Her response was outrageously seductive and the need to surge up and slam into all that hot wetness pushed up against the very primal desire to lick her into oblivion.

"More," Brennan whimpered, lifting one leg to hook over his shoulder, grasping the counter behind her to rock into his mouth. That's when he finally pushed his tongue deep inside her pussy.

Her hoarse scream merged with his moan and he flicked his tongue in and out of her, using the tip to press on the very base of her clit on every stroke out before plunging back inside. He could feel her getting wetter with every movement and gazing up, he saw that she was nearly bent all the way back over the counter. The sheer eroticism of it all had him growling into her, his hands on her ass pressing her harder into his mouth.

She fucked his tongue wildly, coming in a sobbing orgasm that seemed endless. Booth gentled his hold on her bottom and swirled his tongue gently between her folds, letting her ride out the pleasure. Little whimpering sounds were still coming out of her mouth even as he rose, trailing his hands softly up her back.

He splayed his fingers between her shoulder blades, supporting her weight and keeping her torso from dropping back against the cold ceramic.

"Oh my god," Brennan whispered, opening dazed eyes. She blinked slowly and raised a hand to his face, fingers touching the shining wetness she'd left all over his lips. "I … I'm all over you," she said the only thing that came to mind.

He grinned, licking his lips. "Fuck, but you taste good."

"I do?" she repeated weakly, her mind in a hazy stupor.

"Yeah, Bones," he murmured, eyes narrowing. "You've never tasted yourself?"

"N-no," she admitted, surprised at the question. "Why would I?"

"I don't know," Booth shrugged. "Scientific inquiry or something." She smiled a little, conceding the point and Booth trailed a hand under her hair to cup her nape, bringing her lips closer. "Here, baby, let me show you."

As soon as the words were out, he tensed, wondering if she was going to take issue with the endearment. But she merely closed the small distance between them, lips parting under his. Her eyes closed in concentration and her tongue darted into his mouth, tasting herself on him. His fingers tightened around her nape and he deepened the kiss. He nearly wanted to swallow her whole and Booth realized in shock that this was the first time he'd kissed her all night.

With a gasp, he released her mouth. "So?"

Brennan shrugged. "It's just a different flavor, that's all."

"It's delicious, that's for sure."

His eyes landed on her lips again, pink and a little swollen, and his head moved down to claim her mouth once more as if pulled by a string. The second he kissed her again, hunger roared inside his chest. Not for sex, but simply for her, for them, for the right to kiss her like this for the rest of their lives.

_Whoa. _

He wrenched his lips away on the dangerous thought, realizing just how hazardous kissing her could be. In her eyes, Booth saw the same conclusion and her hands moved down his chest, fisting his erection. He recognized the gesture for what it was; a reminder that soft, yearning kisses was not what she was there for tonight.

"I wanna fuck you again." The words were purposely rough, but that didn't make them any less true. Palming the back of her thighs, he lifted her and her legs locked around his waist. "Let's give the bedroom a try, yeah?"

When they crossed the threshold, Brennan squirmed in his arms. "Put me down."

Standing next to the bed, he obeyed and the moment she was on her feet, she slid down in one fluid movement, promptly sucking him into her mouth.

"Shit, Bones!" He hissed in surprise, automatically widening his stance. "Give a man some warning or someth—" His sentence ended abruptly when her tongue flicked against his slit before she drew his cock deep into her mouth. "Ohhh, hell … _Bones_," he moaned from deep in his chest, knees nearly buckling under him.

Tortuously slow, she dragged her lips away, until he popped out of her mouth, stiff and glistening wet. She gave him an innocent smile. "I would have to conclude you taste delicious, as well."

Groaning, Booth dropped to his knees in front of her. He'd dropped a couple of condoms on top of his nightstand earlier and he blindly reached for one and sheathed himself. Grabbing her waist, he tumbled back and slammed her down on his cock.

"Ride me," he growled and her hips immediately swiveled over him while he pistoned into her from below.

Her breasts bounced sensually with every slide of her body and he caressed up her torso and cupped his hands around them. His thumbs were barely ghosting over her nipples and they were already pearling, her nails digging into his stomach in automatic reaction.

"These are sensitive, huh?" Booth grunted appreciatively, rotating his thumbs in firmer circles. "Come down here, I want to suck 'em."

On a soft, little moan of anticipation, Brennan dropped forward, palms hitting the floor next to his shoulders. Booth only had to raise his head a fraction and he was closing his mouth over one tight peak.

"Yes. Yes. _Yes_," she breathed the single word, again and again without even realizing it.

His mouth was warm, exerting a soft suction on one nipple while his hand tugged on the other one just a little bit roughly. Kissing across her chest, he switched, suckling softly on the one he'd been fondling and rolling the other one, now slick from his mouth, between his fingers. The contrast had her moaning continuously, her hips grinding down on him and moving experimentally, seeking the best pressure. Finding it, she rocked against him and Booth's head thunked back to the floor.

"Oh, _fuck yes_," he hissed, back arching off the floor, hands flying to her hips and pressing her against him again at that precise angle. A little noise of protest escaped her lips at the sudden abandonment of her breasts, but then he was pistoning up and she could feel the little tingle against her clit that indicated sweet relief.

"Booth …" she gasped his name, eyes glittering, knees tightening at each side of him.

His hands stroked over her ass, fingers digging into the soft flesh and squeezing in time with her movements. She felt like the silkiest, tightest vice and he was aching to pump himself dry inside her. His balls felt heavy and ready to burst, and he wasn't sure that he wasn't going to lose it before she got off.

"Baby, please …" Booth panted desperately and then he saw her still damp nipples crown and darken just as her pussy began to spasm around his cock. "Oh god, yes," he moaned it reverentially; cutting the cord on his control and letting himself come with her. "Ohhh, Bones … fuck, baby, yeah, yes, yesss!"

Brennan collapsed on top of him, her mind in a haze, body humming in satiation. Her heart hammered against his, the muscle still working overtime. Dear god, but she had needed this; the extent of her celibacy had simply been unhealthy. Only problem was she needed it from him. _With _him. She simply couldn't fool herself into thinking that anyone else would do.

His hand stroked her back slowly and she closed her eyes, trying to blank her mind. It was difficult, if not impossible, but she didn't want to analyze and think about what they were doing. Brennan was always adamant about confronting problems through logic and rationality, but somehow, she knew neither of those would help her now. Because logically she should have never knocked on his door tonight. Rationally thinking, it was very likely she had endangered their partnership and their friendship by accepting his offer.

But she couldn't regret it. From the second he'd opened his door, she couldn't regret a single moment. Maybe that was the most irrational thing of all. That no matter how foolish and dangerous it was, that regardless of the disastrous consequences that could flow from this, she still wanted him with an intensity that was nearly terrifying.

"Bones, we can't fall asleep on the floor," he murmured, his voice intruding into her thoughts.

Nodding, she pushed off his chest and rose to her feet. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Brennan watched as he got up as well and headed to the bathroom. Turning the covers, she slid beneath the sheets.

A few minutes later the bed shifted as Booth got in and he curved an arm around her waist, drawing her into him until his chest molded to her back. "You're spending the night, right?"

"Yes," Brennan whispered, unable to give any other answer. Even if it was just a few more hours of him, she wanted them.

Both their eyes closed, but sleep was difficult to come by, too many anxious thoughts running through their minds. Eventually, they dozed off, but it wasn't really restful, it was the kind of surface slumber you get when you don't really want to sleep but the eyes close resolutely, giving the body no choice.

At some point, Brennan turned in his arms and he woke up to find that she had draped one long leg over his hip and was softly rocking against him. Her face was buried against his chest and in the dark he just couldn't tell whether she was asleep or awake.

"Bones?" he whispered it as softly as possible, not wanting to wake her if she was sleeping.

He got no response and Booth figured she was asleep. But she was rubbing herself against him and he felt the kiss of heated wetness right against his skin. She made some kind of little noise, burrowing deeper into him and her lips brushed his nipple, sending shivers all over his body.

"Damn." Booth gasped the word under his breath and he thought he heard a giggle. His eyes narrowed and he cupped one hand over her bottom, pressing her a little harder into him. Her tongue swiped over his flat nipple and then she moaned against his chest, loud enough to let him know she was definitely awake.

He shot out a hand, flicking the lamp on his nightstand on the lowest setting. Satisfied that there'd be enough light to see her, he splayed his fingers on her stomach and gave her a little push, sending her to her back. Bracing his elbow on the bed, he leaned over her, looking into wide-awake blue eyes.

"Evil," he accused playfully and the hand on her stomach moved down in one sure stroke to cup her. His fingers ghosted over her sex, dipping briefly between her folds to gather her wetness before rubbing on the outside. "You're pure evil."

"So are you," Brennan accused right back, lifting her hips, trying to get him to sink his fingers inside. But he refused, using one fingertip to press against her clit for an instant, before rimming her slowly. "Booth …" she complained breathlessly and he chuckled at the nearly cranky tone.

Relenting, he allowed his middle finger to sink deep inside her. When she moaned her approval, he added a second digit, enjoying her reaction. She liked getting fingered, no doubt about it and it turned him on so much the way she didn't bother to hide it. She was willing to let him see her desire and it fascinated him, the way her face telegraphed everything she was feeling, the way her eyes flickered, the color changing with her arousal.

Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her throat, feeling the way her pulse beat wildly at the base. He sucked on that very spot as his fingers pumped harder, sliding easily through her slickness.

"Booth …"

He recognized the way she said his name and he slowed down his movements, backing her away from the edge. He stroked carefully now, almost soothingly; he wanted her drowsy with pleasure, but not ready to come.

His lips trailed up her throat until his mouth was hovering right over hers and he was looking into glittery blue-green eyes. His entire body tensed with the need to fuse his mouth to hers and devour her without mercy. And Booth wondered if he'd ever be able to taste anything but her again if he did that.

"Are you ready to get fucked again?" he whispered darkly, feeling somewhat angry that she was taking a part of his soul and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Are you ready to fuck me again?" she shot back, the same dark intensity in her gaze.

His answer was to remove his hand and roll right between her open legs. His dick was hard and more than ready and he stroked it all the way inside her hot pussy before stroking out again, leaving just the head of his cock inside her.

"What do you think?" he growled, bracing one hand on the bed, the other stroking down her back and palming her bottom. He kept his movements shallow, massaging her with just the tip of him, making her eager for more of his hard length. "Does that feel like I'm going to have a problem fucking your brains out?"

"You'd better," she demanded, bracing her feet flat on the bed. Her eyes gleamed with challenge and the same kind of desperate need he was feeling. "Hard, Booth. Stop teasing and fuck me hard."

"Hard?" The word made him think back to what had started this whole thing to begin with. "Hard enough you'll still feel me in the morning?"

Her eyes flashed and he knew she was remembering those infuriating words she'd thrown at him in her office only a few days ago. "Yes," Brennan hissed, almost defiantly and her hips rose, sliding him another fraction inside her.

Booth clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose, acutely aware he was bare inside of her. Aware too that he wanted to sink inside all that soft, heated flesh and go at her with nothing between them. To feel every inch of her fisting around every inch of him on every stroke in, every slide out. To spill his seed deep inside her and brand her his from the inside out.

Booth didn't doubt they were both safe, but he couldn't breach her trust like that. And he knew to forgo protection with such clear deliberation because he wanted every single inch of her would be a violation of trust.

Wrenching himself away from her, he grabbed the foil packet on his nightstand and sheathed himself in record time. When he turned back to her, she was spread on his bed like a damn invitation, her arms above her head, holding on to the metal bars on his bedpost and her legs open for him.

"You will," he promised, planting his knees on the mattress as he straddled her and grabbed her hips. "You will feel me every time you close your eyes." It was a promise and a threat as he lifted her and plunged so deep inside her, Booth thought there might never be a way out.

His first few strokes were long and slow, just priming her body for what was to come. When she gritted his name out, Booth picked up the pace. And between one breath and the next, he was driving inside her like a piston, his hands holding her hips tightly and his momentum so hard and so fast that the bed thudded rhythmically against the wall. She was incredibly tight, but simply drenched, her slick passage welcoming every stroke of his hard cock like a fucking dream.

"God, so tight and wet," he grunted, hitting her deep, pistoning in and out, over and over again. "You're unbelievable."

"Booth …" His name slipped out in a harsh moan and her body tensed all over, trying to fight against a total loss of control. "Please, please …" Brennan had no idea what she was pleading for, her body almost disconnected from her mind.

He growled, the sound coming harshly from the back of his throat. She moaned and whimpered as he pumped away and her legs spread wider, asking for more. The movement sank him even deeper into her and he gasped, fucking her harder. With each pounding thrust, her back arched, her gorgeous breasts further highlighted by the position of her arms above her head.

"Bones," he groaned without even realizing it and then he was falling forward like a magnet, planting his hands on the mattress next to her shoulders as he sucked a perfect nipple greedily into his mouth.

Her hips were now free and they surged up, meeting every relentless drive of his body. Booth felt wild as he slammed into her again and again, running fevered kisses between her breasts, sucking each nipple hard, letting her feel teeth and tongue and the sheer frenzy he couldn't hide. The simple fact was he'd never felt anything quite like this, never taken anyone like this either, animalistic and raw, and desperate all at the same time. It made him feel like death might be an actual possibility once he came inside her.

Her legs suddenly wrapped tightly around his waist and it seemed to make everything tighter. He felt her body tense as he powered inside her and Booth knew she was about to lose control.

"Open your eyes," Booth ordered hoarsely, but she didn't seem to hear him. "Open your eyes, Bones," he repeated, his voice ragged but demanding, his body pushing her to one shattering climax.

She was only his for this one night and he had to live with that. But the next time she had a man between her legs that wasn't him, Booth damn well wanted her to open her eyes and see _him_, feel _him_ inside her, fucking scream _his_ name.

"Look at me," he whispered. Her gaze bore into him and he knew that shade of blue would be forever seared into his mind. Her lips parted in one long, delirious moan of pleasure and she released her hold on his bedpost, her arms flying to wrap around his neck. Bracing his weight on one hand and curving his other arm around her waist, he held her tight.

On a near sob of his name, she buried her face against his neck and splintered apart. She clung to him, riding out the pleasure and Booth felt like his heart was about to beat right out of his chest. A violent shudder wracked his body and then he was emptying inside her in long, hot bursts that felt endless.

His arms held her tightly, even as he flipped them over so he wouldn't crush her. She was wrapped around him like ivy, still shuddering a little; face still buried against his neck. The fall of her hair draped over her back and Booth curled one hand over the ends, feeling the soft strands. Eyes closed, he inhaled, wondering if the scent of her mixed with sex would be forever imprinted on his sheets.

It worked both ways, Booth realized, something like dread pressing against his chest. One night and that was it, but how would it be possible to hold anyone else in his arms without seeing _her_, feeling_ her_ skin, whispering _her_ name?

**-x-**

The phone rang, waking Booth before his alarm had a chance to do the job.

After a short conversation, he hung up and turned to the woman in his bed. "We have a case, Bones."

Saying the words while in his bed, face to face with her sleepy eyes and tousled hair, felt surreal.

She nodded, but her eyes drifted shut again and he guessed she wasn't quite ready to get up. He felt exhausted himself and would have given just about anything for another hour of sleep. "Just sleep a little longer," he suggested softly, unconsciously raising a hand and brushing back a lock of hair falling over her forehead. "I'm gonna jump in the shower. Try and wake myself up."

Brennan watched him rise from the bed, the muscles across his back shifting with the movement and making her swallow. She heard the bathroom door close and her left hand fisted the sheets.

It was morning and they had a case. Logic indicated it was time to go home. Time to veer back from the detour their partnership had taken the night before.

But she found herself throwing the covers back and stepping softly towards the bathroom. Almost hesitantly, Brennan raised a hand and opened the shower curtain surrounding his bathtub.

"Bones?"

He sounded almost surprised, his hands still in his hair where he had been rubbing shampoo.

"May I come in?"

The water was hot enough to have steamed up the bathroom and she couldn't quite read his face, but then his arms reached out, encircling her waist and plopping her into the tub with him.

"I know it's morning," she admitted, hands worrying the condom she grabbed from his nightstand. "I know … I j-just … I need you … I … one more time," she breathed, feeling almost terrified that he would say no. "Just one more time."

Booth heard the uncertainty in her voice and it amazed him. Did she really think he could deny her anything? Hadn't he showed her last night that he would give her whatever she wanted?

Wordlessly, he reached for the little foil packet in her hands, but she pulled back and whispered, "Let me."

He swallowed hard when her competent fingers rolled the condom on him, soft and slow and he was so damn glad to have used hot water for his shower. She pressed kisses over his chest, tongue flicking out to lick at the drops of water and he crowded her against the wall. Booth could have sworn she sighed when he lifted her and slid gently between her thighs. Her legs locked around his waist, her arms around his neck and she continued to line little kisses on the side of his neck and his jaw. He used the wall and one hand on her bottom to hold her up, the other he trailed up the side of her body until he was cupping one full breast.

"Oh," Brennan gasped softly as his thumb swirled over the peak. She bucked a little and he moaned, both at her response and the slick friction sliding into her provided. The hand on her breast glided up and he slid it beneath her wet hair, cupping her nape. "Booth …"

The sound of his name ghosted against his lips, hers just a heartbeat away. Over the sound of the shower, he saw it, rather than heard it. On the next glide forward, her nails scored gently across his back, her breathing hectic right against his mouth and he touched his tongue to her bottom lip. Just for a second. Just once. And then again and before he could think it through, he was crushing his mouth to hers, uncaring of the consequences. Her lips parted immediately and Booth regretted every second of the night before that he stopped himself from doing this.

Over and over, he slanted his mouth over hers, drinking in her sweetness and her desire. And when her body began to shake in his arms, she sucked on the tip of his tongue, making him delirious. His entire body tensed, almost warding off the pure pleasure running through him and then he was coming too, gasping her name into her mouth.

His heart was pounding in his ears, but he felt her press a soft kiss on his shoulder. He set her carefully on her feet again, leaning back to look at her. Usually, _usually_, he could read those wide blue eyes of hers, but right then all he could see was that one-of-a-kind blue framed by spiky-wet lashes.

Thoughts crowded his mind, mainly the need to tell her that this couldn't be it. That no way in hell one night of her was enough. But impulsiveness had never worked out too well for him in the past. Not with any woman, but certainly not with _this_ one. And in the end, Booth knew that he couldn't change the terms on her now. She'd wanted sex, he'd offered it and she'd accepted. End of story. Everything he felt for her wanted to rise up and confuse the situation. But that was dangerous. Dangerous and stupid.

Without a word, Booth took a step back, water crashing over his head. Through the spray, he saw her climb out and the sound of the shower curtain closing again seemed especially loud.

Ten minutes later, he was out of the shower and she was gone.

**-x-**

His partner arrived at the crime scene almost half an hour after him and almost any other time he'd be giving her a hard time about it. But Booth wasn't sure what would come out of his mouth if he opened it, so he merely flipped out his little notebook and trained his gaze on the page.

She ducked under the crime scene tape and walked silently to the remains. Snapping on latex gloves, she knelt next to the unrecognizable body.

"Vertical brow ridge suggests female …"

Her voice, cool and oh so competent, washed over him and he gave her one quick glance.

Last night he had called her his, _made_ her his, all night long, but now it was over and it was back to the status quo.


	4. Dangerous Exposure

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

A/n: I know you all remember this is a collab with pal _**Dispatch**_ who will be posting soon. Enjoy!

**Dangerous Exposure**

* * *

"Well done, everyone," Cam toasted, raising her beer. "A very impressive job on a totally bizarre case."

"Well, I certainly strive to be impressive," Daisy offered in that patented tone that repelled and fascinated. Much like a train wreck, no one wanted to gawk, but it was impossible not to stare in disbelief and then cringe. "Just like Dr. Brennan, I always attempt to—"

"Well, I will admit, I was particularly impressive on this one," Hodgins cut her off unceremoniously. "I mean, do you know how many different types of granite there are?" Everyone groaned, but he didn't care. "No, seriously. That I was able to identify the particulates on the clothes as pink granite _specifically_ from Pike's Peak? I mean, really people, I am King, baby!"

"Okay, settle down there, squint," Booth suggested, pointing his beer at Hodgins. "There's this little thing called a confession. And I believe my partner and I were responsible for that. Tell him, Bones."

"We were." Brennan nodded solemnly. "We used the classic interrogation tactic of good cop, bad cop, quite effectively."

"Oh yeah?" Angela inquired curiously. "Were you bad cop, Bren?"

"No, Booth wouldn't let me." She threw her partner a disgruntled frown.

Angela gave a suggestive smile that went right over Brennan's head. "Well, maybe if you ask really, really nicely next—"

"Hey, how's the baby doing, Ange?" Booth cut in, prompting smirks from nearly everyone around him, only Daisy and Brennan remained oblivious. "I'm sure you and Hodgins can't wait to get home to your little bundle of joy. I totally understand."

"Actually, we should be getting home," Hodgins acknowledged, smirk still in place. "You ready, Angie?"

"Yeah," she nodded, giving Booth one of her patented, you're-not-fooling-anyone looks, but getting up and taking her husband's hand. "Have a good weekend, everyone."

Soon, everyone had followed Angela and Hodgins' lead and Booth was left looking at his partner across an array of empty beer bottles.

"I want to be bad cop next time, Booth." It was a near whine and he chuckled at the demand she had repeated twice already.

"But look at you, Bones," he argued, just because Booth knew it would drive her crazy. "All big blue eyes and pretty jewelry, how are you going to be bad cop?"

"That's sexist," she accused, giving him a disdainful look. "I will play the role of bad cop next time." It wasn't a request, it was a decree. "And I'll do it better than you."

"You seem to be forgetting that I taught you everything you know."

"Students often surpass their teachers," she informed him loftily. "And I have a very steep learning curve, you know."

"I do know," Booth murmured, fingers tensing on his beer bottle at the thought that there was a hell of a lot he now knew about her.

Like the way she tasted …_everywhere_. _Because I licked every inch of her that night_.

Like the way her eyes went nearly indigo when she came. _I'm pretty sure the color's gonna give me a hard-on for the rest of my life. _

Like her tendency to use those sharp little nails of hers in abandon. _It took two days for the scratches to fade and I damn well want more of them._

For just a moment, their eyes met and he wondered if she was remembering too all the things she'd learned about him. And if she was as eager for another go at him as he was for the chance to touch her again.

For a week, they had been focused on the case and utterly professional, but now, his ability to compartmentalize was breaking down alarmingly fast.

"I should get home," Booth said, setting his beer down. "I have Parker this weekend and I have to get up early to pick him up. Do you want a ride?"

"No, I'm going to finish my wine," Brennan replied calmly, raising the glass to her lips. "I'll call a cab to take me home."

He hesitated, disliking the thought that she was going to stay behind, alone. For his own peace of mind, if circumstances allowed, Booth liked to watch his partner turn the lock on her door with his own eyes. Experience had taught him that with her, trouble was always just around the corner. But forcing the issue would just net him an argument and arguing with her right now seemed especially dangerous.

"All right," he accepted reluctantly, getting up from the table. "See you on Monday."

**-x-**

Except she didn't see him on Monday.

Brennan fiddled with her cell phone and frowned at her office door. It was nearly the end of the workday on Tuesday and she'd yet to see or talk to her partner since Friday night. The week before they had seen each other every day—likely because they had a case— but still, they had been able to interact normally without ever bringing up _that_ night.

_That_ night. It was ludicrous, but it was how Brennan constantly thought of it now.

That night when she lost her mind and crossed that very defined line in their relationship they were always careful to respect.

That night when the only thing she cared about was having every inch of him.

That night when she realized years of waiting and fantasizing had been absolutely worth it.

She'd give almost anything for another night; except even Brennan wasn't clueless enough to believe she could have sex with Booth again and then pretend it hadn't happened. In fact, she was working hard on convincing herself that just because she'd given in to temptation once did not mean she had damaged her relationship with her partner_. _

_Nothing has changed_, Brennan reassured herself.

_If nothing has changed,_ a little voice intruded,_ then why have you been contemplating your phone for an hour, instead of actually making the call? _

In an attempt to silence her aggravating internal voice, she pressed the call button.

"Booth."

"Hi, Booth," she greeted without preamble. "Would you like to watch a movie?"

"Um, a movie?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be a movie," she clarified, worrying her bottom lip. "I just know that you enjoy movies. But we could also get a drink or engage in any other such suitable activity."

"You saying you wanna hang out?" he deduced, a little unsure.

"Yes, though I never understood that phrase," Brennan complained, automatically going on a tangent. "I mean, it's not as if we will be _hanging_ in any sense of the word. Maybe if we were attending an execution …" she mused and Booth knew it was time to get her back on track.

"Bones, focus," he said quickly. "I have a bunch of movies you've never seen. Why don't we get some dinner and we'll pick one of those." Booth smiled a little. "We'll fill in that pop culture gap of yours that never fails to amaze me."

"I'm a forensic anthropologist, Booth," she reminded haughtily. "Explain to me how being well versed in popular culture will make me any more proficient than I already am at my job."

"So, see you at seven, then," he replied instead, unwilling to have the pop culture argument with her over the phone. For some reason, he never won this argument unless they had it face to face.

By the time 7 PM rolled around, Booth had picked up a pizza—half veggie, half meat lover's—and was waiting for his partner to arrive.

He'd be lying if he didn't admit that having her come over worried him a little. Okay, a lot. But the fact was that no place in his apartment was free from her, they had sex in nearly every room. Shit, every time he walked by his kitchen, he saw her spread on that counter, coming on his mouth.

This was not a good idea, Booth realized, fingers trailing anxiously over his stack of movies. He paused on _Shrek_, but then decided there were too many references she wouldn't get so the movie wouldn't be that funny for her. Finally, he settled on _Pirates of the Caribbean_ because if anyone ever mentioned Captain Jack Sparrow to her, she should know they weren't talking about an actual member of the military.

His body responded to the knock on his door in exactly the same way as last time; his heart stopped and then raced. Booth took a deep breath, reminding himself that this was different. She was here for pizza and a movie, not mind-numbingly delicious sex. Ah, damn, and it _had_ been so freaking delicious. _Best. Damn. Sex. Ever_.

Better forget about it, Booth reminded himself. One night. Just one night. He knew the score, he wasn't going to change the rules on her now, no matter how much he wanted to open that door, pick her up, and make love to her all over again.

"Hey," he said, a lot more cheerfully than he was feeling. "You hungry?"

"Yes, I did not have lunch today."

"Aw, Bones," he chastised, closing the door behind her. "You have got to stop doing that. Aren't you the one always telling me it's important to have three meals a day?"

"Yes, three _well balanced_ meals," she emphasized, giving him a pointed look. "You always seem to forget that part."

"Well, at least, I don't go around skipping lunch," Booth defended. "C'mon, dig in, you must be starving."

Brennan smiled and happily dug into her side of the pizza. "What are we watching?"

"Pirates of the Caribbean. It's about—"

"I've seen it." Brennan took a napkin from the stack on the coffee table. "Very amusing."

Booth's jaw nearly dropped. "You're kidding."

"No." She gazed up at him, blue eyes absolutely earnest. "I went to visit Russ for his birthday and Amy had given him the movie as a present, so we watched it after the girls went to bed. Apparently, Russ loves that movie."

"Well, yeah," Booth grinned. "Captain Jack Sparrow is _awesome_."

"The actor did a tremendous job of projecting rakishness and sexual appeal even while adopting relatively effeminate mannerisms."

"The actor?" He couldn't believe her. "It's Johnny Depp, Bones, he's only like one of the … you know what, never mind." Snagging a slice of pizza, Booth pointed towards his movie collection. "Why don't you have a look see and tell me what you want to watch."

Booth smiled when he saw her grab another slice and take it with her to peruse the movies. He settled back on his couch to watch her and his gaze followed the curve of her back dipping down to her rounded bottom, showcased to perfection in a pair of tight, dark jeans. The urge to circle her waist and cuddle her into him battled with the desire to peel off those jeans and pump her from behind in long, lazy strokes.

All right, he wasn't keeping his cool, _at all_. Maybe, he should just talk to her. They were adults, right? And this whole I-touched-every-inch-of-you-but-now-I'm-gonna-pretend-I-didn't thing wasn't really working out. They should talk. They already kept so much inside; this should _not_ be one of those things.

"Um, Bones?"

Brennan turned around, the serious expression on her partner's face making her heart pound. Something was obviously on his mind and she wondered if it was the same thing that had been on hers since she walked through his door.

His lips parted and she followed their sensual shape with her gaze. But before he could even utter a word, his phone began to ring loudly. What looked like impatience flashed in his eyes and he looked at the phone with a frown. It was clear that he was considering not picking up, but ultimately his sense of responsibility was too strong.

"Booth," he answered abruptly and after a few seconds he looked around for something to write. "Yeah, give me a sec."

"We have a case, don't we?" Brennan whispered, handing him a pen and he only nodded, writing down the address of what was surely their crime scene.

Brennan went to collect her lightweight jacket, feeling strangely relieved and disappointed at the same time.

**-x-**

Just like last time, they solved their case in just a little over a week, much to Cam's delight. And after their post case drink, they went their separate ways. That was two days ago and Brennan looked at her phone again, wondering if she should call him. She did receive a text from him yesterday, reminding her that he still owed her the movie of her choice.

Except watching a movie was not what she wanted to do. Not even close. For almost anyone else, Friday night, as the end of the workweek, was to be greeted joyously. But the way her day had gone, Brennan wanted to greet the end of the week with a knife to the jugular, not any damn joy.

She battled with herself only a few more seconds, before discarding her lab coat and grabbing her car keys. She knew exactly where she was going and why. One part of her brain was rational and sternly demanded she turn the car around. The other part told that one to shut the hell up.

Just once more. If he wanted. If he even realized what she needed and was willing to give it to her. Just one more chance to feel his hands all over her. To forget her frustrating day and have him inside her again.

She would stop after tonight, she _would_. She had excellent self-control. Just … not tonight.

Tonight, Brennan didn't want to pretend she didn't want him, didn't need him. She didn't care how far gone she was. It wasn't far enough.

**-x-**

"Bones."

She nodded and swept inside without saying a word.

Booth raised an eyebrow when she threw down her purse on his table with some force. She stepped out of her heels next and walked, barefoot and aimless, around his apartment.

"You want a beer?"

"No."

"Some food?"

"No."

O-kay. He followed as she drifted into the kitchen, eyes scrutinizing her up and down. Booth almost asked her if she wanted to watch that movie now, but he was sure she would give him another one of those curt one word responses.

He could see the stress radiating off her; her spine was ramrod straight, her jaw set in what could only be annoyance. She didn't say a word, just placed her hands flat on the counter.

Right. No beer, no food, no conversation, he was pretty sure she wasn't there for any of that. Stomach clenching, Booth stepped behind her, hands resting on the counter on either side of her hips and bracketing her in his arms.

"Rough day at work?" It was whispered softly, so softly, into her ear, hands settling carefully at her waist.

Still silent, her answer was to place her hands over his and move them up her body. When he cupped her breasts, she groaned and on the sound, Booth gripped her blouse and tugged. Buttons pinged against the counter and floor as the fabric ripped all the way down until it disappeared into the waistband of her skirt. He worked the material down, just past her shoulders and then did the same to the bra straps marring the flow of smooth skin.

His mouth kissed a straight line from just below her ear to the curve of one shoulder. When he moved to the other side, she growled and pressed back against him. Impatient, Brennan hiked up her skirt and Booth got the message, shoving down a lacy pair of panties. The material rested just below the curve of her perfect ass and it hampered the spread of her thighs. He realized it almost at the same time she did and before her impatience could escalate, Booth ripped the lace from her body.

The thought flashed in his head that he was glad she wasn't wearing cotton panties because those would be impossible to rip. But that was his last coherent thought before he was pushing down his pants and pushing into her. Brennan moaned and fell forward and he sheathed himself to the hilt, curling his fingers around her hips.

"D-don't stop," Brennan gasped, the cool counter against her torso making her ache for the heat of him to drive into her and shatter her into a million fiery pieces. "Please, don't stop,"

_Stop?_ When he'd been dying to be inside her again? No freaking way. Booth shuddered, discovering that her heat and perfect fit hadn't been a product of his imagination.

"Only way I stop now is if you tell me this is _not_ what you came here for."

Her silence was all the answer Booth needed and he thrust forward, building up a hard, smooth rhythm that had her moaning harshly.

"Yes. Oh my God, yes." She pled and demanded, all in one breath. "More, please. Ohh, Booth, don't stop."

Brennan closed her eyes and absorbed everything. The cool ceramic against her cheek, his warm hands cupping her hips. But, most of all, the hard length of him driving inside her, again and again, without pause. She could feel the release building and she tightened around him, fingers curling into fists. With a deep moan, she pushed back, eager to meet his movements, telling him she wanted it as hard and rough as he could give her.

Booth growled and gave her everything he had, pounding her until she went liquid around him. He kept thrusting as she came, letting her ride the orgasm and then shot inside her, hot and wet and so damn hard, he could do nothing but collapse forward, his cheek resting between her shoulder blades.

A soft sound escaped her lips and she squirmed a little, making Booth realize he was crushing her. Moving off her, he smoothed her skirt back down, eyes going wide as she turned and he saw her ruined blouse.

"I, uh … I'm sorry about the blouse …" His voice dropped to a near whisper. "And, also, the underwear …"

"I really don't care, Booth," she said quickly, amazed that he was concerned with something so mundane. Brennan was feeling too sated to worry about anything, but if he was concerned with ruined clothes, then he would probably be concerned about the lack of protection, so she felt it necessary to reassure him. "We didn't use a condom, but you should know I am healthy and very conscientious about my birth control."

"Oh god," he breathed in shock. "Shit, Bones, I'm so sorry, I …" Booth scrubbed his hands over his face. "I'm clean, I promise."

"I'm not worried, Booth."

"Still, I'm sorry, Bones," he said again, shaking his head at his utter lack of control. "I should've … damn, I know better, but I couldn't even think and hell, I'm sorry …"

"I've already said it's not a problem, Booth." She regarded him steadily. "I assume we're currently engaging in sex only with each other. If that assumption is incorrect then—"

He stopped her with a glare. "You know damn well that assumption is not incorrect."

"Very well, then." Brennan gave him a serene smile. "Then I don't see the need to worry about it."

Booth nodded, forcing himself to relax. It still didn't sit well with him that his control had pretty much gone out the window, but if she didn't want to worry about it, he'd follow her lead. He trusted her and was pleased that she trusted him also. In fact, it made his chest tight, thinking of how much she was trusting him and he couldn't help raising his hands and cupping her face.

"You can trust me," Booth said earnestly, locking his eyes on hers.

"I know. I've always trusted you." Her voice went soft, as well. "You can trust me too."

"I do." Letting his hands fall to his side, he felt a little awkward and unsure about what to do next. "Do you, um, you wanna stay for dinner?"

"I should go home."

"Right." Booth shrugged, trying to take it philosophically. Sex. Just sex. Stress relieving, so damn hot, I-wanna-have-it-every-day-sex, but sex all the same. He had to remember that.

"I need another top and new underwear." Brennan reached down to retrieve her ruined panties. "You can come over for dinner at my place. If you want, that is. I haven't purchased groceries in a while, so I'm not sure what I have in my fridge, but I'm sure I can come up with a fairly nutritious meal. Of course, there's also take-out. That is often convenient, although not very healthy …"

Booth's eyes narrowed, she sounded suspiciously like she was rambling. "Sure," he said casually. "Take-out sounds good, Bones." He backed out of the kitchen, clearing his throat. "I'll, uh, meet you at your place."

"Yes." Brennan collected her purse and made sure to use one hand to keep her blouse from gaping open. "I'll see you soon."

**-x-**

Unable to really agree on what to order, Booth and Brennan defaulted to Thai food, as they often did. The meal was consumed mostly in silence and Brennan didn't so much eat as push around the noodles on her plate. Booth knew lack of appetite indicated she was still thinking about her crappy day, so he waited her out.

When they were done, he helped her clear the table, taking the plates to the sink.

"Just leave them," Brennan instructed and as she walked by him, he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"You gonna tell me about it?"

"Tell you what?"

Booth gave her one of those looks that said he knew she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Bones …"

Brennan sighed. "I had a difficult day," she admitted. "But there's no point in complaining as it won't actually change anything. It's over."

"Okay, but telling me about it might make you feel better."

She frowned in consideration. "How so?"

"Well, because, I'll be on your side."

"On my side?"

Booth gave a small smile at her puzzled tone. "Yeah, you know, that's how it works. You can vent, that means complain, by the way, about everything that went wrong today and I'll listen and commiserate and tell you everyone else sucks."

He could practically see her mind processing and considering. "You will?"

"Sure." Booth's arms automatically circled around her waist in a loose hold. "Give it a try."

Her hands landed on his chest and she traced the design on his T-shirt, mind whirling. Where to start? "All right … " Brennan settled on a chronological order. "Well, right after lunch, Hodgins conducted one of his ill-advised experiments and we had to evacuate the lab for almost two hours. Even after we were allowed back in, the noxious odor that lingered made it difficult to concentrate."

"That idiot," Booth said promptly. "Want me to slap him around next time I'm at the lab?"

Her lips twitched at the offer and she gained confidence, thinking this idea of _venting_ had merit, after all. "Then, I received a message from my publisher, wanting to move up the deadline for my next book by two months."

Booth frowned. "That seems like a lot."

"It is!" Brennan hissed. "Utterly outlandish. I spent over an hour arguing with them about it. They just refused to listen to reason, Booth."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to submit my book by the original deadline, just like my contract states and I told them any further discussions on the issue could go through my lawyer."

"Nice." Booth had to admit that, at times, he enjoyed that uncompromising attitude of hers. She wasn't going to let anyone push her around and she was going to let you know it. "You dealt with it, Bones. Don't let it stress you out. I'll bet they'll be too afraid of your lawyer to bring it up again."

"I do have an excellent attorney," Brennan noted in satisfaction, before remembering that the disagreement with her publisher had not been the most annoying part of her day. "Right after I hung up, Cam came into my office and demanded I participate in some ridiculous Jeffersonian documentary featuring the lab."

He winced. "Well, that was poor timing." Booth was sure Cam was going to have her hands full getting his partner to cooperate.

"She didn't even let me use my get out of jail free card," Brennan groused and Booth had no idea what that was, but he knew Cam was going to have a recalcitrant Brennan on her hands for the duration of this documentary. "Cameras in my lab, Booth!" she grumbled, getting annoyed just thinking about it. "Do you know how disruptive that will be?"

_Yeah, good luck, Cam_, he thought ruefully, but unable to muster much sympathy for his friend when he had a clearly distressed Bones in his arms.

"Very disruptive," he agreed quickly.

"Of course, Daisy was on rotation and she spent all day talking about it. I thought, after Maluku, that I had built a tolerance to her, but I found out today, I was sorely mistaken."

"I don't think even Sweets has built a tolerance to her," he concluded, cupping a hand around her nape and massaging gently. "Hey, how about this … whenever she annoys you, just send her over to Cam."

"That seems vengeful."

"Well, if you have to deal with cameras in your lab; then she can deal with Daisy, right?"

"Right." Brennan smiled, pleased with his logic. "You're very devious."

Booth chuckled. "I aim to please."

Her hands moved from his chest to wind around his neck and she pressed her body against his. "You were right." Soft lips landed against his jaw, lining tiny kisses over him. "Venting did make me feel better."

If he was surprised at the soft touches, Booth didn't show it. "Do you want me to help you, um, _vent_ some more?"

She moved her head back to look at him. "Is that a euphemism for—?"

"Yeah, Bones, it is," Booth replied on a near groan, lifting her in his arms.

Brennan buried her face against the curve of his neck, sucking lightly on the warm skin there. He carried her to her bedroom, setting her on the bed and removing the strappy tank and comfortable sweats she had changed into for dinner.

Booth nearly smiled at the cotton panties and he slid them down her legs, running his hands up her body as he settled over her.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Brennan murmured, sneaking her hands under his T-shirt and tugging it off him. She pushed on his shoulders and he moved to his back, letting her straddle him and remove the rest of his clothes. When she had him naked, she stroked her hands over his chest in a wide arc, nearly purring in contentment. "You're extremely pleasing to look at and touch and stroke and kiss."

He was nearly speechless at the way she was moving over him, her lips following the path of her hands in sucking kisses and nipping bites. Between them, his erection was stiff and more than ready to rock into her, but she just rubbed herself over him, her wet folds gliding against his shaft.

A low moan escaped his lips and he stroked his hands up the curve of her back. Her breasts were pressed flushed against his chest as her mouth trailed over his throat and the side of his neck in a storm of hard kisses. Her touch was just frenzied enough to tell him that she was still on edge and he grabbed her hips, moving her over his cock.

"Bones, c'mon," he encouraged, raising his head a little to press his lips against the beating pulse at her throat. "Just take what you need, baby."

She sank down into him with a soft cry and Booth groaned, her body enveloping him in liquid heat. Bracing her hands on the mattress next to his shoulders, she rode him, her gaze locked on his. He cupped her bottom, feeling her rocking glides, watching her lips part in a satisfied moan when the orgasm rushed through her in one clean wave. She collapsed against his chest and he closed his arms around her shuddering frame.

"Booth," she gasped softly, heart still thundering. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I want you, I want you so much and you've let me …" Her voice faded and she raised her head to be able to look at him. "You've been very generous with your body and …" Her voice lowered, almost shy and uncertain. "Thank you. I just—"

"Bones …"

"I should have said it before, I … I know this is difficult for you and you didn't have to—"

Booth captured her lips and rolled her under him. He was still hard and buried inside her and his hips rocked forward between her thighs. "You know, I'm glad you can recognize my self-sacrifice," he whispered huskily against her lips. "I mean, touching every inch of your beautiful body has been such an imposition. I don't know how I've been able to endure it, but somehow, I have."

"Booth …"

"And let's not forget how terrible it is to sink inside you and find myself surrounded by the most deliciously tight, wet flesh … oh, god, so damn difficult," he moaned, pumping into her with increasing force. "I can't believe you're making me suck your pretty little nipples like this …" His head lowered, mouth opening against the tip of one breast and sucking. After a few minutes, the other one got the same attention and she arched into the suction, gasping his name. "I can't believe I have to slide between your soft thighs and bury myself inside you until we both come."

"Stop talking," she begged, her skin felt overheated and his words were coiling up the tightness in her belly so much, it left her nearly afraid to find out what would happen when she shattered. "Booth, oh god, oh god, ohhhh …"

"I have not been generous," he breathed, completely serious now. "And this has not been difficult. Do you understand me?" Booth couldn't help leaning down and kissing her fiercely. "I've been hungry for you and falling into your arms has been so damn easy because for so many years, there's only one thing I've wanted more than I've wanted to breathe and that thing is you."

Brennan tensed beneath him, arms going tight around his body as the climax hit her; he was the only solid thing in the rush of pleasure even as he was the one creating it. Booth rasped her name and shuddered almost violently, emptying inside her in explosive relief.

There was nothing but silence and ragged breathing as he shifted on the bed, raising the sheets over their cooling bodies. Booth's body curved over hers, his chest pressed snuggly against her back and his arm around her waist. Her fingers laced with his over her stomach and Brennan felt his lips brush the back of her shoulder in a silent caress.

Their eyes closed and there were no more words. It was late and too much had already been exposed anyway.

**-x-**

Brennan wasn't sure what woke her up, but maybe it was the lack of warm, male body in her bed.

"Booth?" she called sleepily and he froze in the act of buttoning up his pants.

"Hey." Coming out of his trance, Booth zipped the fly of his jeans and collected his T-shirt from the floor. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you? I tried not to …"

"You didn't, Booth." Brennan watched him don his shirt and sit on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. "I tend not to sleep in very often. I guess you don't, either."

Booth cleared his throat. "Actually, if I don't have Parker, I do sleep in on the weekends." Twisting a bit, he looked at her on the bed and his throat constricted. "Usually, I mean. But a few days ago, some guys from work told me they were organizing a pick-up game, um, hockey, and even though it was in the morning I said maybe I'd join," he explained.

"Oh."

He couldn't read her expression, which was crazy because usually she was an open book to him.

_Ask me to stay and I will. Hell, just give me a hint here what you want from me, Bones and— _

"Have a good game," she finally said and Booth tried to hide his disappointment.

"Thanks," he sighed, rising from the bed. "I guess I'll just … go." Booth felt like an idiot and the last word was barely audible as he turned for the door.

"I don't want things to change between us," Brennan blurted out suddenly, stopping him in his tracks. "Our partnership … our friendship, they are important to me, I don't want to damage them."

He spun on his heel, facing her again. She bit her bottom lip and he knew the gesture usually indicated anxiety. "You know they are important to me too." Booth hesitated for a moment before walking forward and sitting on the bed again. This time, he braced one hand on the mattress and leaned over her sheet-clad body. "_You_ are important to me, but Bones, look, the fact is things have already changed."

Brennan swallowed, terrified that he was right. "I … I don't do well with change. You know that."

"Maybe that was true once, but I don't think that's true anymore," he whispered quietly, but she still looked so uncertain and worried that Booth pressed a light, comforting kiss against her lips. "But if you want, we can just, you know, forget about it. If that's what you want, Bones, I'll do it."

Even as the words left his mouth, Booth knew they were ridiculous because he sure as hell wasn't going to be forgetting anything. Even if he never touched her again, he was going to remember it for the rest of his life.

Brennan was sure he was trying to alleviate her anxiety, but his words only made her more apprehensive. When he said they could forget about it, she knew what he was offering and she was torn between the part of her that warned her to take his offer and stop the madness and the part that felt like it might go mad if she did.

What would happen to their partnership if she didn't stop going to him? What would happen to _her_ if she did? Where Booth was concerned, it seemed she was always making the wrong choice and Brennan knew this time around there could be no more mistakes. For both their sakes.

"Booth … I … I don't know …" she confessed gravely, the confusion naked in her eyes.

He nodded, accepting her struggle. "Why don't you think on it," he suggested gently, leaning forward and brushing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you later, okay."

Booth was almost to the door of her bedroom, when she called out softly. "Tomorrow, Booth. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure," he agreed, turning the knob on the door and smiling in relief. However long it took her to process, at least he knew she wasn't going to keep him at a distance while her mind whirled. "Tomorrow, Bones."


	5. Assumption of the Risk

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

A/n: The awesome _**Dispatch**_ will also post a fantastically smutty update soon, so watch out for that! Enjoy!

**Assumption of the Risk **

* * *

He'd said things had changed. But over the next few weeks, Brennan found that things were still very much the same. Lunch and dinner and drinks and the thrumming electricity that made her fingertips tingle with the urge to stroke his face. And then stroke every other part of him.

Every once in a while, she caught him looking at her as if he was about to haul her into his arms and devour her on the spot. But he never did, he hadn't so much as touched her once and her traitorous body felt the lack like an ache.

After only a few days it had become obvious to Brennan that she had miscalculated gravely. Foolish. So foolish of her to believe that acceptance of his offer could exist in a vacuum. That knowing, just knowing once what it was like, would be enough to assuage the hunger that had consumed her for years.

She had touched him and kissed him and held him, but she was still ravenous for him. And not just sex with him, but for more _of_ him. Like the feel of his arms wrapped around her as she fell asleep. Like the soft, soft brush of his lips over her, soothing and comforting and full of warmth.

Going to him at the end of a bad day had felt natural and the absolutely spectacular way he'd scrambled her brains in a frenzy of pounding hips could not be understated. But besides the fantastic sex, she couldn't forget the way Booth had held her after dinner, his arms loose but strong around her, his voice low and supportive. She'd melted into his arms without hesitation, knowing there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

Brennan sighed, opening her fridge but quickly closing it again. It wasn't just the bad days where she needed him. It was impossible anymore to run away from the fact that she needed him every day.

When she saw him, her body automatically wanted to stand closer. When they bickered, the urge to shut him up by kissing him was nearly overwhelming. When he looked tired, she wanted nothing more than to stroke his face and somehow make him feel better. The urges weren't necessarily new, over the course of their partnership she'd becomed acquainted with all of them, in various degrees of intensity. But now, Brennan was starting to feel like she had the _right_ to do all of that and more.

_That_ was certainly new.

Partnership conferred a lot of rights. Because they were partners, she had the right to worry about him and help him and even interfere in his life, to a certain extent. But partnership did not confer her the right to wrap her arms around him and kiss him whenever she desired—that was a completely different type of social contract. But more and more, Brennan realized, she wanted that right. In fact, if she was going to be completely honest with herself, she felt that it was already hers. And it made her wonder if he felt the same way.

Brennan had become acutely conscious of the fact that despite his passion and seeming desperation for her when they had sex, he did not appear inclined to approach her for more of it. For weeks, she'd been aching to have him in her arms again and it was a battle every night not to show up at his door and take him up on his offer, over and over again.

Her stomach growled with hunger, but she disregarded the sound, biting her bottom lip in consideration. She'd gone to him for relief, sexual and stress relief and he'd been more than willing to provide it, but would _he_ be coming to_ her_ if he wanted or needed sex? The possibility that he might not made her stomach hurt, even though she was well aware that the only sex he'd been having had been with her.

God, she wanted to keep it that way. She wanted his passion and his need to be all hers. At the end of _his_ bad days, she wanted him to come to her. And at the end of his good days, she wanted the exact same thing. She wanted … a lot more than stress relief and just-once-more sex.

Determination raced through Brennan even as her mind whirled. She was unsure on how to proceed, but logic dictated that actually affecting change, instead of merely wondering about it, might be the first step.

Decision made, she dialed her partner. Four rings had never felt so long.

"Hey, Bones."

"Booth, have you had dinner?" Quickly, she added, "I'm very hungry and there's nothing worth consuming in my refrigerator."

"Well, I was about to microwave a frozen pizza." Booth could practically see her look of distaste. "Don't make that face. They're not that bad."

"What face? You can't even see me!"

"I don't need to see you," he chuckled.

"Does that mean you don't want to have dinner with me?"

Her voice was suddenly a lot softer and there was something in her tone, he couldn't identify. "Of course not. Dinner with you is much better than frozen pizza," he assured, returning his still frozen meal to the freezer. "Where do you want to go? The diner?"

"No. If you don't object, I would prefer to deviate from the norm tonight."

"Um … all right, is that the squinty way of saying you want to try a new place or something?"

"Precisely." Smiling in what felt like relief, she suggested, "There's a restaurant near American University I've been meaning to try."

"Sure." Booth looked around for a pen and paper. "Give me the address. I'll meet you there."

"It makes no sense to take two cars, especially since my apartment is on the way." Her voice was cool and oh so logical. "You can pick me up in ten minutes."

**-x-**

Booth followed Brennan's direction to the restaurant, shooting her a quick look out of the corner of one eye as he parked the car.

Something was different about her, but he couldn't quite figure out what. Probably because he kept getting distracted by the silky-looking top she had on. Booth could feel his hand itching to run across her back. Just one clean stroke, from the base of her nape to the dip of her spine. For some reason, the pale blue fabric looked cool to the touch, but he was sure she'd be so warm underneath.

"Whoa, Bones." Booth's hand shot out, grabbing her arm before she could rush across the intersection. "That's a red light there. Jeez, woman, you versus car, the car's gonna win."

"I suppose I am hungrier than I thought," Brennan murmured, looking longingly across the street to the beckoning restaurant.

"I'll say," Booth chuckled, his thumb rubbing unconsciously over the skin of her arm. "But I think the meal's going to be a lot more enjoyable if you're alive and kicking."

"Of course." Brennan nodded solemnly and waited patiently until the light turned green.

They crossed the street to the restaurant and she became aware the second he dropped his hand, nearly sighing in disappointment.

"Hey, this place is nice," Booth noted, opening the door for her and taking in the atmosphere—all warm, brown tones and soft, jazzy music. "You think the food will be just as good?"

"The reviews I read seem to suggest so," Brennan replied as they followed the friendly hostess to a little booth with plush, soft cushions. "The vegetarian options are supposed to be quite tasty. However, they also have a wide selection of dishes featuring red meat, which also garnered very glowing reviews."

"Ah, good to know." Booth opened his menu, hiding his smile at her outrageous level of cuteness. Automatically, he flipped to the last page, curious about his dessert options and almost gasped. "Oh, man …" Booth turned nearly glazed eyes on his partner. "Bones, this place has over twenty different types of pie."

"I know."

His eyes widened and he drilled his gaze into her. She was calmly perusing her own menu and Booth stared at her, feeling warmth and bewilderment flood him in equal measure. "You know?"

"Mm-mm."

He wanted to raise his hand and tilt her chin up to meet his gaze, try and see if he could read anything in those blue depths. Before he could act on the impulse, their waiter approached, asking them if they wanted anything to drink and if they'd like to start with an appetizer.

A beer, a glass of wine, and a shared appetizer later and Booth was finally able to pinpoint that odd feeling he'd been getting since picking her up at her apartment. She had invited him out on a date. At least, that's what it felt like to him. They had countless meals before and it took him a while to figure out what was different about this one. And it was her and the way she was smiling, all soft and flirty.

Once they ordered their meals and she offered up some of her entrée, bringing her fork up to his lips for him to try, Booth was almost certain that this was a date. A real, honest-to-goodness date. The type that ended with him kissing her outside her door and then kissing her all the way to bed. Instantly, that last night in her bed scrolled through his mind in high-definition quality. Soft, pale limbs draped over him. Warm, hot flesh and low, husky noises tumbling into his mouth. He could practically smell the scent of sex and satisfaction that had lingered in the air.

"Booth?"

Her voice cut through his memories. "Yeah?"

"Will you be having dessert?"

_Can I have you for dessert?_ God, it had been almost two weeks since he'd touched her last and two weeks had never felt so miserably long.

"Dessert?" he murmured, trying to get a grip. "Yeah, of course. Gotta have pie. Any chance I could talk you into sharing one with me?" He reached for the laminated list in the center of the table. "I know you don't like your fruit cooked," Booth acknowledged. "But look, not all of these are fruit pies. They have a chocolate and vanilla pie, c'mon, that sounds good, right?"

"Booth, no, fruit pie is your favorite," she reminded him. "I read the apple pie here is supposed to be one of the best. You should get that."

The apple pie with homemade whipped cream and caramel sauce did sound delicious. "Will you try some?" he asked, his voice automatically going a little gravelly on the question.

"Maybe." Brennan gave a tiny shrug. "You know, maybe some of the crust with the whipped cream and the caramel."

He nodded his agreement, smiling at her. In fact, he'd hardly been able to stop smiling all night. Booth wasn't quite sure what to make of this whole date she'd pretty much sprung on him out of nowhere, but he was more than willing to go with the flow.

The waiter passed by, inquiring about dessert and Booth ordered his apple pie, before turning to his partner with a considering look.

"Hey, you got anything going this weekend?" he ventured, figuring maybe it was time to test the waters a little. "Because I have this hockey game on Saturday and if you're not doing anything …" Booth thought the implication was fairly clear, but she just looked at him expectantly. "You know, maybe you could come. Maybe after, we can catch a movie or something."

"Last time I went to one of your hockey games, you broke your hand on someone's helmet."

"Well, this will be a lot more friendly," Booth assured, eyes lighting up when his apple pie was placed in front of him. "Oh man, look at this …" he breathed reverentially at the small mountain of caramel-drizzled whipped cream.

"Do you know how much sugar—"

"No, no." Booth wagged his spoon in warning. "Neither one of us is diabetic, so open up."

Booth cut a careful corner of the flaky crust and spooned some of the whipped cream on it. The sweet smell was certainly tempting and she parted her lips when he raised the spoon to them. He could tell she liked it by the way her little tongue came out and swiped against her bottom lip. She may not like her fruit cooked, but she definitely had a sweet tooth.

"It's tasty," she said primly and Booth laughed at the understatement.

"Oh, Bones, this is the best dang pie I've ever had." Booth tried to make it last, but it was hard to temper himself, it was absolutely delicious. He fed her another spoonful of snow white whipped cream and had to bite back a smile when she didn't even put up a token protest. "Thank you for picking this place. I'm glad you, um, wanted to deviate from the norm."

"Sure." Brennan just gave a casual shrug. "You have some …" Automatically, she reached out, swiping a finger over his bottom lip. "It's uh, some whipped cream." Even to her own ears, she sounded breathless, but she couldn't help tracing his bottom lip.

"Temperance?"

The sudden voice had Brennan snatching her hand back and Booth's going-drowsy eyes, popping wide open.

"Dr. Goodman!" Brennan could feel a slight warmth rising up her neck and she had no idea why.

"And Agent Booth." Goodman assessed the situation, trying to decide whether he was surprised or not.

"Hey there, doc," Booth said, shaking Goodman's hand and feeling a little like he'd been caught in a compromising situation. Which was a little bit ridiculous, but he had been thinking of sucking that finger she'd trailed over him into his mouth and from what Booth remembered, the man in front of him had a distinctly paternal attitude towards his partner. "Long time no see."

"Dr. Goodman, I thought you were still in Egypt," Brennan said, quickly gathering her composure. "It was my understanding that the dig would take months of supervision."

"Yes and I'm flying back next week, but I missed my family so I came home for a bit."

Booth remembered that Goodman had two little girls. "Family's important."

"Yes," he laughed lightly. "And they're expecting me with a delicious chocolate pie so I'd better go."

"It's always good to see you, Dr. Goodman," Brennan noted in that sincere way she had that made whatever she said all the more special.

"You too, Temperance." Goodman gave her a smile and turned a semi-warning look on Booth. "Agent Booth, always a pleasure."

"So, there's some big deal dig in Egypt?" he mused, watching Goodman walk away. "I'm guessing no ancient remains involved, right?"

"No, it's an archaeological dig. Dr. Goodman's one of the most respected archeologists in the world, so he was asked to head the project."

"I gotta say, Bones," he murmured softly. "I'm glad there're no ancient remains luring you to Egypt."

"I have no plans to be lured anywhere, Booth," she replied calmly.

Booth just ducked his head and smiled. "So, you never answered me. About Saturday …"

"I'll be there."

**-x-**

Last time she'd showed up at one of his hockey games, he'd beat another player to a pulp and got a broken hand for his trouble. This time, he beat the other team and had only a slightly bruised shoulder.

Muttered congratulations were exchanged between the two teams and the players skated towards the locker rooms. Booth skated to the edge of the rink, meeting up with one gorgeous forensic anthropologist over the partition.

"That was an impressive body check …" Booth's eyes widened at her hockey terminology. "But I'm fairly certain it bruised your shoulder."

"Just a twinge," he dismissed, giving her a goofy smile. "Body check, huh? Have you been watching hockey behind my back?"

Instead of answering, she gave her own smile. "Go ice that shoulder, Booth."

"Or maybe you've been going to some other guy's hockey games," he teased, reaching up and tucking back a strand of hair. God, she looked pretty in a girly-looking top that molded beautifully to her curves. "Is that it, Bones?"

She rolled her eyes for effect and gave him a little shove. "Ice. Now. Before your body cools down." Her tone was no-nonsense. "At least twenty minutes. I'm serious, Booth."

"Yes, ma'am." Booth skated backwards, keeping his gaze on hers. "Don't go anywhere."

Brennan watched him disappear across the same exit the rest of the players had and her lips pursed, wondering how high his adrenaline level was at the moment. Hers was quite high and all she'd done was _watch _him play.

Leaving the stands, she meandered around the rink for about twenty minutes before following the signs to the locker rooms. She sat on a bench outside and observed a steady flow of men walk out the door, but none was her partner, which told her that he was icing his shoulder as per her instructions. It worried her that he might have seriously injured his shoulder; his gorgeous, perfect shoulder.

Her foot tapped impatiently against the floor and then she made her decision. Last time, he'd been horrified that she'd walked into the men's locker room, but she was willing to deal with his outrage.

Unlike last time, there were only a few men other than Booth in the locker room, which would make it a lot easier for her to clear the space.

"Booth—"

"Bones!" His gaze snapped up to his partner and he popped up from the bench, ice pack over his shoulder. "Bones, what the hell, I thought we'd gone over this!"

"There's something I wish to discuss with you."

"Now?" He looked around frantically, hoping she wasn't getting an inadvertent peep show from any of the guys still around. Luckily, both men were dressed and looking highly amused.

Her chin tilted up defiantly. "Yes, now."

"Uh-uh, someone's in trouble," one man sing-songed softly.

"You were both leaving, correct?" Brennan phrased it as a question, but it was clearly a demand. She was obviously kicking them out, but they were taking it in stride.

"Sure are," was the cheerful reply from one of them.

They both gathered their gear quickly and closed their lockers. One man gave Booth a slight tap on the back, offering a chuckling "good luck."

"Am I in trouble?" Booth immediately wondered as soon as they were alone.

Brennan gave him a bewildered look. "Trouble for what?"

"Well, I don't know." Booth shook his own head in confusion. "You were the one that charged in here, guns blazing."

"What guns?" She spread her hands innocently, the keys in her hand tinkling lightly. "I am clearly unarmed."

He almost always could tell when she was deliberately misunderstanding. "Bones …"

"I was merely expediting their departure," Brennan explained.

"Why?"

"So I could examine you."

"Examine me?" It was almost a squeak.

"Your shoulder." On the words, she stepped forward and Booth took an automatic step back.

"M-my shoulder's fine, Bones."

The ring of keys in her hands dropped to the bench and she circled around him, standing at his back. With a flick of her hand, the ice pack dropped to the floor and she stroked her fingers gently over the chilled skin. It rippled under her touch and she wanted to press her lips to him.

He had on shoes and a pair of jeans, but was naked from the waist up. His hair looked damp and she could see little drops of water on his shoulder, which told her that he must have taken a very quick shower. Without trying, he exuded masculinity and sex appeal and she felt utterly feminine in contrast. Not to mention nearly helpless to resist all the strength and smooth flesh right at her fingertips.

"Does this hurt?" Her voice was husky, but her hands competent as she applied pressure on his shoulder.

"No."

"Tell me the truth." Her fingertips trailed over his side, before pressing two fingers under his elbow and urging his arm up. "How does that feel?"

"I … I am," Booth breathed, unable to contain the goosebumps breaking out over his flesh. "It's a little tight, but it doesn't hurt."

"Raise both arms, please," she requested softy, her hands pressing against his back and making him step forward a bit. "Keep them perpendicular to your body and push against the wall."

He did as requested, groaning when the heel of her hand pressed just below his shoulder. "God, Bones, you have magic hands."

Disregarding the hyperbole, Brennan stroked her palms over his shoulder blades, the pads of her fingers digging into his skin in a gentle massage. "I don't like it when you get hurt," she murmured and this time couldn't fight the urge to press her lips to the back of his shoulder. "I thought you said this was going to be a friendly game."

"It was mostly friendly." Booth swallowed, keeping his hands on the wall, unable to move a muscle. "But it … it's hockey," he rasped out, feeling her lips kissing a path across the line of his shoulders. "It can get … a little … a little rough."

"Rough?" She smiled the word against his skin, her arms going around his waist and her nails scraping against his stomach. "Do you like rough, Booth?"

"Bones," he gasped, heat spreading through his bloodstream like a highly addictive drug.

She kissed his nape, her fingertips tracing the definition under her hands. "I want to give you whatever you want."

"It's not … it's not supposed to work like this," Booth reminded her raggedly. "I was … I'm the one that's supposed to give you whatever you want."

Releasing him for a moment, she walked around him, ducking under his outstretched arm and placing herself between his body and the wall. "This is what I want." Her gaze was steady on his as she leaned forward, lining soft kisses across his jaw. "To touch you. To make you feel as good as you've made me feel."

"_Bones_ …"

"Are you going to let me?" she whispered into his ear, nipping lightly at his earlobe. Her hands snapped open the button on his jean and very slowly dragged the zipper down. "Please, Booth."

"Whatever you want," he moaned softly, nearly trembling with the effort to keep his hands still and his body at her mercy when all he wanted was to take her madly. "You know that, Bones. Anything you want."

Her lips settled over his and he opened his mouth, eyes fluttering shut as her tongue tangled lazily with his. Despite the fact that she'd unzipped him, she didn't attempt to lower his pants, instead her hands stroked up his body. She ran her fingernails lightly over his flat nipples and Booth broke the kiss, groaning softly. Brennan trailed a line of kisses over the side of his neck, over his shoulder and across his bicep. The muscles bunched under her mouth and she nipped carefully before making the return trip and kissing across his body.

"I love touching you," she confessed, exploring his body carefully. Her mouth sucked and nipped over his taut flesh and her hands stroked the perfect planes of his chest.

Booth dropped his head back, inhaling deeply as she placed open-mouthed kisses up the line of his throat. She was bracketed between his arms, effectively trapped between him and the wall, but yet all the control was in her delicate hands.

She licked down his throat and then scraped her teeth gently across his collarbone. Soft, soft lips continued kissing down his body and he felt nearly electrified when her tongue swirled over the flat disc of one nipple.

"Bones …" he gasped, abdominals clenching with the effort to keep his reaction controlled.

"Do you like that?" She moved to the other nipple, giving it the same attention, experimenting with teeth and tongue over the sensitive area. "I like how you react, so contained and controlled, yet I know it's because you want me so much."

"I do," Booth groaned, feeling like all the oxygen was leaving his lungs in time with the tip of her tongue tracing every groove on his stomach. When she dipped it inside his belly button, his hips rocked forward of their own volition. "So much. You have no idea … oh, damn."

His skin was warm and slightly salty and the taste of him on her tongue was like some darkly sensual aphrodisiac. She loved the way his stomach muscles worked as his breathing became more and more hectic. The bulge behind his jeans beckoned her and Brennan finally sank all the way down, tugging down his jeans and taking his underwear with her.

"Oh," she whispered, wrapping silky fingers around him as he spilled into her hands. She had admired his cock before and even tasted him briefly that first night in his apartment. But now, she planned to take her time, to suck and kiss every inch, to drive him absolutely wild.

He felt hot and hard, yet also delicate and she gave a few careful strokes from base to tip before releasing him. Her hands settled at his hips and she leaned forward, bypassing his erection and placing soft kisses on his hipbone. She paid special attention to the scar she knew he'd gotten playing with his brother, running her tongue over the puckered flesh.

Booth almost whimpered at her worshipful kisses and when he thought he couldn't bear it anymore, her silken lips wrapped around the head of his cock, sucking lightly. Slowly, so slowly, she worked his rigid length inside her mouth, her lips rubbing rather than exerting any real suction. The husky, grunting noises that were tripping out of him were making her stomach bottom out in anticipation.

He was trying so hard to be controlled, Brennan knew, but his restraint was unraveling right against her lips. She gave a quick, hard suck that made him hiss before releasing him. He was wet from her mouth and she fisted her hand around him, pumping him slickly. The abrupt change from her hot mouth to the tight strokes of her hand nearly made him shout. She pumped, creating the most amazing friction before switching over to her skillful mouth once more.

Booth felt nearly dizzy. "Oh, my god …" he moaned, unsure whether to beg her for relief or let her work him over until his heart gave out.

"You taste so good," she murmured, running the flat of her tongue on the underside of his dick before flicking her tongue over the throbbing head as if she were licking a damn lollipop.

"Bones, there's only …" He groaned heavily, trying to form a complete sentence. "Only so much I can take."

"I don't want to stop." Her hands went around him, palming his firm ass and then she was sucking him deep. Deeper than anything he could fathom. The wet slide had him nearly hitting the back of her throat and Booth couldn't help the growl that bubbled out.

"Oh, fuck," he grunted and tried not to drive his hips forward. For the first time, his arms came down and he was helpless not to slide his fingers through her silky-looking hair. "Bones, Bones … oh god, so good, that's … damn … Bones, please, please."

Her fingers squeezed his ass in encouragement and a little moan escaped her lips, vibrating up his length. It drove him wild that she seemed to be enjoying this too and he tried to keep his eyes open, watching her pretty lips wrap so perfectly around him. His mind blanked and his body rioted with every slick suck. He was so painfully hard, it felt almost dangerous to let go.

"_Bones_," he choked out, hoping she understood he was going to snap his leash in about one more second. Her lashes fluttered in wordless response and he moaned desperately, pulsing between her cherry-red lips. He couldn't hold back, even if he wanted to. Her lips and her hands and her _eyes_, all worked him up and over until he was coming hard and fast and hot right into her mouth.

"Unbelievable," he gasped dazedly.

"That was quite arousing."

Booth chuckled breathlessly, pulling up his clothes and then wrapping his arms around her waist. Her cheek rested on his bare chest and he stroked her back, enjoying the feel of her, so soft and sweet, in his arms. "Believe me, that's an understatement," he panted.

It took a considerable amount of time for his breathing to even out and once he felt his mind engage again, Booth tucked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up and kissing her softly. "Thank you."

"I … I want you too." Her gaze was suddenly vulnerable. "You," she repeated solemnly. "Just you."

"That goes both ways," he said, just as seriously. Brennan nodded without saying a word and Booth pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Hey, you hungry?"

"Yes."

"How about we grab some food and eat outside?"

Brennan gave him a puzzled look. "Outside?"

"Yeah," he smiled, mind whirling. "C'mon, I have an idea."

**-x-**

"Booth, where are you taking me?"

"Relax, Bones." He maneuvered the car over the woodsy terrain, driving into Rock Creek Park. "I'm not bringing you here to do wicked things to you. Unless, you want me to, in which case—"

"Booth," she whined and landed a little slap to his arm. "The food is getting cold. And I don't even think we're supposed to be here."

He chuckled, parking the car in a clearing overlooking a flowing stream. Even with the vegetation around them, there was still a clear shot of the star-strewed sky. "C'mon."

Gathering their bagged sandwiches, Booth hopped out of the car. He handed Brennan the food and went to the back, propping up the cargo door of the SUV and folding the third row seats down to make space for them.

"It's very peaceful here," Brennan observed, hopping on and letting her legs dangle over the back fender.

Booth sat next to her, unwrapping the sandwich she handed him. "It's kinda hard to believe you're in the city, right?"

"Urban sprawl is quite a pernicious problem." Brennan chewed thoughtfully on her veggie BLT sandwich. It amazed Booth there was even such a thing. "We're so concerned with expansion and modernization that delicate eco-systems are being destroyed everyday without a thought."

She frowned at him and he shrugged defensively. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm not the one destroying anything." Leaning over, he placed a sweet kiss on her cheek. "I recycle, you know."

Her lips quirked up and she acknowledged his socially responsible habits with a bump of her shoulder against his. They ate in companionable silence, listening to the strange and varied sounds of nature around them. He passed her a water bottle and she handed him a napkin. Foil wrappers and used napkins were dropped onto a plastic bag that was launched to the front passenger seat.

Without a word, Booth leaned back against the curved edge of the car, stretching one leg out as much as possible, the other one still flat on the floor. His hands found her hips and like a perfect puzzle piece, he settled her between his legs, her back pressed to his chest. With a sigh, his arms wound around her waist and he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Are we going to get in trouble if someone finds us here?"

"No one's getting in trouble," he reassured, pressing a soft kiss on her neck. "It's pretty out here, right?"

"Yes." Brennan tilted her head and captured his lips in a deep, wet kiss. "It's utterly ridiculous, but right now I feel like there's no one in the world except the two of us."

"Nothing ridiculous about that, Bones," he whispered, peppering tiny kisses over her jaw.

"Well, considering the world is populated by nearly seven billion—"

"Oh, you're gonna be squinty right now, huh?" He kissed her again, outlining her lips with his tongue and letting his hands slide under her pretty blouse to stroke the soft skin underneath. "Because that will _so_ work for me."

"Booth …" She squirmed in his arms, raising her own so he could discard her top and Booth smiled against her lips.

"No, no …" His fingers were unhooking her bra and leaving her naked from the waist up even as he continued to tease her with tiny kisses. "Go ahead. Squint me right up." Booth closed his hands over her breasts, thumbing her nipples in a slow circle. His voice was low and full of mischief right at her ear. "Say something squinty, Bones."

She groaned instead, arching into his hands. All she could do was close her eyes and moan his name. "Booth …"

"Nope, I don't think that qualifies." Releasing her breasts, he skimmed his hands down her ribcage, fingertips stroking in a light caress, and flicked open her jeans. His fingers inched inside teasingly, rubbing the edge of her panties. "You wanna try again?"

"I hate you," she panted, arching her hips up and wiggling her jeans down as far as she could.

"Ah, that's oh for two." He hooked his fingers on her panties and tugged the material down to her thighs but didn't stop the light, teasing touches. His lips dropped quick, feather-light kisses over her neck and shoulder and his fingertips tortured her with slow circles on the inside of her thighs. "That's not good, you know."

"Don't make me hurt you," she threatened and Booth laughed, the sound so sexy, Brennan couldn't even pretend indignation. Trying a different approach, she raised an arm, winding her fingers through his hair as he kissed over her pulse point. "Yes," she whispered huskily. "Touch me. Please, touch me everywhere."

His kiss turned much harder, lips sucking her skin in possession. "I know what you're doing," he growled, knowing that breathy, pleading voice had been on purpose. But it didn't matter because it still went straight to his gut, making him harden everywhere and urging him to give her whatever she wanted.

"Is it working?"

_"Yes_." Unable to tease anymore, Booth rubbed two fingers along her sex, before working them inside her. "Fuck," he hissed. "You're burning hot."

Her hips shot up and she struggled to spread her legs wider. "Booth, oh my god … oh, yes …" Brennan dropped her head heavily on his shoulder, breathing becoming quite difficult with every perfect slide of his fingers. He knew exactly what he was doing and when his free hand moved up her body to caress one breast, she knew it wouldn't take all that much to make her climax. "Wait, wait, wait …" she panted desperately.

Booth froze, heart pounding in his ears. "You okay?" She certainly felt okay to him, hot and dripping and melting all over him.

"Yes," she breathed out, trying to think. "Yes … I just, I want you. I want you inside me." The words tumbled out, breathless but resolute. "Naked and inside me. I want to be naked too and feel every inch of you against me."

Brennan toed off her sandals, maneuvering to work her panties and her pants all the way off. Booth felt his eyes nearly cross over, before he moved into action, yanking off his shirt one-handed and unsnapping his jeans with the other. Brennan was naked before him and moved to help him, but instead ended up running her hands and lips over his bare chest.

"Bones," Booth gasped, losing focus for a second and twining a hand in her hair. He kissed her lips and her chin, laughing a little that he couldn't quite focus on any one task. Kiss her or get naked. Kiss her or get naked. Oh god, he couldn't decide.

Luckily, Brennan apparently was done waiting and she shoved down his jeans and his briefs the rest of the way. Booth kicked them off along with his shoes and reached down to remove his striped socks. She gave a smirk at the colorful stripes and he kissed her smirk off. "Don't say a word."

Brennan's laugh turned to a gasp when he pressed her down and settled between her thighs. Immediately, her legs locked tightly around his waist and he groaned against her neck. Undressing in the tight space had been adventurous, but with the seats folded down, lying down was not a problem. Though, nothing could really qualify as a problem when he was buried so deep inside of her.

"God, you feel so damn good," he rumbled, rocking into her, before withdrawing just a little and surging back in.

"You too," Brennan gasped, running her hands over his back and clutching his ass, feeling like she couldn't get close enough. "You feel amazing. Booth, don't stop. Oh, yes, yes, please …"

He kissed her throat and her breasts, keeping a smooth rhythm between her legs. She clenched around him, her soaked sex drawing him in, welcoming him hotly with every stroke. Raising his head, he kissed her wildly, his tongue plunging between her lips in the same desperate cadence as his cock driving home into her sweetly slick pussy.

"Don't close your eyes," she whispered, her own a brilliant, liquid blue that made his heart pound madly. And then, she came, looking right into his eyes. She shuddered and gasped his name, never breaking eye contact.

"Beautiful," he whispered in awe, his body sliding deep inside her one last time and coming apart in that liquid blue of her eyes.

Their ragged breathing mixed together and their locked gazes felt searing in the aftermath. His forehead dropped to hers, skin on skin and nothing between them but the night. It was the riskiest way to make love, eyes wide open and stripped right down to the soul.

**-x-**

Booth drove her home in relative silence, both of them feeling a little too stunned to say much. But when he reached out and took her hand, her fingers immediately curled around his. Brennan nearly smiled in relief, not for the first time thankful of the way he could understand her without her barely even saying a word.

The minute he parked, she jumped out and Booth just sighed, resigned to the fact that opening the car door for her was one of those things that would never happen. Her smile told him that she knew what he was thinking and he had to smile too. Best date in the world, but she was still going to open her own car door.

Brennan walked to stand in front of him and it seemed like she couldn't stop smiling. "I very much enjoyed spending time with you today."

She seemed almost shy, but so earnest, he could hardly breathe. "Yeah." He nodded and took a breath, trying to settle his increased heart rate. "Yeah, Bones. Me too."

Booth saw her body turn towards the doors of her building and his hands reached out, bringing her back to his body. Winding an arm around her waist and a hand in her hair, he kissed her right in the middle of the sidewalk. He felt her smile against his lips and his fingers splayed open on the back of her head, applying pressure and keeping their lips together.

When it felt like oxygen might be necessary, Booth pulled back. One look at her glittery eyes and kiss-swollen lips and he was slanting his mouth on hers again in one kiss after another. Her arms went around his neck, her body pressing up against his and he growled a little in delicious satisfaction.

He couldn't get enough of her and kissing her made him lose all track of time, but eventually he released her. The slow way she stepped back told him that she couldn't get enough of him either. Booth watched her go up the steps to her building and the only thing that could have wiped the smile from his face was a Mack truck running him over.

Brennan made her way to her apartment, unable to stop smiling herself. Her lips tingled pleasantly and contentment seemed to be spreading through every pore like some type of contagious disease.

All right, probably not the most romantic metaphor, she realized, but metaphors were not her strong suit. Nor were interpersonal relationships. Her relationship with her partner was one of the most important things in her life and risking it with the vagaries and impreciseness of romantic entanglement was terrifying. But if there was one thing she'd learned in the past few years was that some things were worth the risk.

And for the way he made her feel just with one kiss, for the way he smiled, for everything between them that could no longer be denied, she was willing to risk almost anything.


	6. Right of Possession

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones

A/n: Much love to collab pal _**Dispatch**_ who has made this the funnest collab ever! Hope you all have enjoyed it too! :)

**Right of Possession **

* * *

"Mmm …not yet," Booth moaned sleepily, keeping an arm firmly around Brennan, while shooting the other one out to turn off the alarm clock.

She turned around, lips level with his chest and pressed a kiss against his warm skin. "Ugh, I'm tired."

"Yeah, that was kinda my fault," he accepted, dropping a kiss atop her head. "I'm sorry."

Brennan smirked. "No, you're not."

"No, I'm not." Booth smiled, rubbing a hand down her back under the sheets. They'd been so busy that a couple of days had gone by without much more than a quick lunch date. But last night they'd more than made up for it. The sun had just been about to rise when he rolled over her for round three … or was it four? Booth had lost count. "But I am sorry you're tired. I'm feeling brain dead myself. I'm going to be pretty useless at work today."

"Work," Brennan whined. "Have to go to work." She peered at the alarm clock and tried to scramble out of bed. "And I have to go now or I'll be late."

Booth tightened his hold on her, keeping her prisoner against his body. "So, you're a little late," he murmured, lazily kissing the side of her neck. "It's not the end of the world."

"No, but I was already late last week," she reminded him with a poke. "Also your fault, by the way." Brennan could feel his smile against her skin and tried to muster up some willpower. "I'm never late. Angela spent all day giving me suspicious looks. If I'm late again today, I'm fairly certain there will be an interrogation."

The words served to remind him that they were keeping their relationship a secret and it made him frown a little. Not that they had discussed it and decided to keep it secret, but it just seemed to have worked out that way.

"All right," he said softly, giving her one last kiss and releasing her. "Go be squinty."

Brennan slapped his shoulder playfully and scrambled out of bed, quickly collecting hastily discarded clothing. Booth watched her get dressed, enjoying the feminine yet efficient way she moved. He was surprised when she stopped at the bedroom door before rushing back and dropping a quick goodbye kiss on his lips. His smile was probably goofy as hell, but it was hard to care.

It made his head spin a little just how much his life had changed in just a few months. Two and a half months ago, he'd offered her sex, even though his body had been the last part of him she didn't have. Now, she had everything and Booth knew he wasn't getting any of it back because his heart needed her and his body was now desperate for her.

On the surface, it seemed like everything was the same. They worked together, they caught bad guys, and they had a celebratory drink afterwards. But now, when they went to a movie, he held her hand. They went on dates, instead of just going to dinner. If she fell asleep on his couch, he picked her up and tucked her into bed, sliding right next to her. There were hello kisses and soft touches, and bickering arguments that could now be ended with the strategic use of hands and lips.

It was all so new and fantastic, it was almost surreal. He'd be lying if he didn't admit that a small part of him kept expecting to wake up and find that it was all make-believe.

**-x-**

With a heartfelt sigh, Cam raised her glass of wine. "To the end of the work week."

"I hear that." Angela joined in with a clink of her nearly empty beer bottle.

"It has been quite hectic," Brennan agreed, but she smiled widely as she raised her glass.

"Yeah, hectic." Angela sent her a narrowed-eyed look. "You know, we've been pretty busy this week. And a long week means grumpiness and exhaustion, but you've been happy as a clam. What's up with that, Brennan?"

"How do you determine the happiness of clams?"

"Oh, nice deflection." Angela wasn't having any of it. "Seriously, is it me or have you been oozing happy lately?" She turned to Cam for confirmation. "Cam?"

"You did have Daisy in the rotation this week and your eye barely even twitched."

"You know what makes someone go around with a big, fat smile on their face all the time?" Angela mused out loud. "Sex. Lots and lots of really good sex."

"Sexual release triggers the release of endorphins, that's quite true," Brennan agreed mildly. "Along with many other activities such as eating and exercise."

"Exercise is giving you that happy glow?" Cam raised an amused eyebrow. "Clearly, I've been going to the wrong gym."

"Has a pleasant disposition suddenly become a crime?" Brennan defended. "What's with the second degree?"

"Third degree, sweetie," Angela sighed. "Third degree and don't think I'm not going to get to the bottom of this."

"All right, and while you do that …" Cam raised her empty glass. "How about another drink?"

"Yes," Brennan agreed quickly, rising from the table. "I believe it is my turn to buy the drinks."

They watched her walk towards the bar and Angela turned to Cam. "I'm not wrong about this, am I?" she insisted, all kinds of possibilities running around in her mind. "Something besides a nifty trip to the gym is making her happy, right?"

"Booth."

"What?" Angela gaped, for one crazy second wondering if Cam's many skills included mind-reading.

"Booth," Cam repeated, greeting the man approaching their table with a tilt of her empty wine glass. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, ladies," Booth smiled, eyes scanning the table for his partner. "Late night at the office and I needed a food break," he answered Cam distractedly. "Where's Bones?"

Cam looked towards the bar and smiled. "Oh, guess he's not giving up."

Booth followed her gaze and couldn't help going tense. His partner was getting chatted up at the bar by some guy who was invading her personal space in a way that Booth recognized. "Giving up?" he echoed flatly.

"Yeah, um, that guy's sent a couple drinks here for Bren tonight," Angela almost mumbled the explanation, feeling acutely uncomfortable.

"According to the waitress who brought the drinks, he's willing to do just about anything for a date with Dr. Brennan," Cam informed in amusement. "Well, he's pretty good looking and …" Cam's voice trailed off after a pointed glare from Angela and she coughed. Her two drinks had apparently gone to her head quicker than expected. "But I, um, I'm sure Dr. Brennan's not interested," she finished lamely.

Booth glanced stonily at the bar again where Brennan was waiting for her drinks, but didn't say anything. _Was she interested?_ The question popped up insidiously and he couldn't banish it. Nor could he banish the overwhelming impulse to walk over there, kiss the hell out of her and show that guy she was taken. Before he could give in to the surely insane urge, he said a quick goodbye to Angela and Cam and walked out.

Food had been the pre-eminent thing on his mind when he walked into the Founding Fathers, but his appetite had disappeared. Even the piles of paperwork waiting for him in his office couldn't distract him from the fact that he'd just left his partner at a bar getting hit on. The fact of the matter was that some idiot hitting on her wasn't that big a deal. He'd seen it countless times and, for the most part, Booth had learned to feel amused by it rather than annoyed. It also helped that many of those times she didn't even realize what was going on and even when she did, those guys tended to get shot down, quickly and bluntly.

This shouldn't be any different, he knew, but somehow, it was. And Booth was self-aware enough to know that the difference was sex. Specifically, the fact that they were now having it and though Booth knew they were having it only with each other, he'd also been assuming that the whole exclusive aspect of their relationship would remain true in the future. Except, that was a dangerous assumption to make because they had not discussed their relationship at all. In fact, thinking about it, he realized that an exclusive, long-term relationship was really the complete opposite of the unspoken agreement they'd entered into all those weeks ago.

_You want sex and I want to give it to you all the damn time_ was really a long ways away from _I only want you and I want you for the rest of my life_.

With a sigh, Booth scrubbed a hand over his face. He'd offered her the former, but all he'd really wanted to do was give her the latter.

_Shit. _

**-x-**

The knock on the door surprised Brennan, but she was pleasantly surprised to see her partner on the other side.

"Oh, hi." Opening the door wider, she stepped aside to let him in. "I wasn't expecting you tonight."

"No?" He swept inside but then turned to face her with an almost challenging look. "Well, if you have plans, I can just take off."

"I don't have plans," Brennan said cautiously, assessing his stance and the tone of his voice. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." It came out way too quickly. Booth rolled his shoulders back. "I just wanted to be sure. 'Cause, you know, I don't want to assume one thing and then find out that I didn't really know what I thought I knew, after all. You understand what I'm saying?"

"No. Not even a little bit." Brennan gave him a piercing look. "That made no sense to me."

"All right, well, allow me to be crystal clear," Booth shot back, unable to contain the irritation he'd been feeling all night. "What are we doing?"

"Right now?"

"_Us_, Bones," he stressed, jaw tight. "You and me. What is this? I just ... I just need to know, all right? Because I don't want to find out it's one thing when I thought it was another, okay."

"Booth, you know I don't do well with vague terminology." Brennan frowned. His agitation was obvious, but she had no idea as to the cause. "You need to just tell me what you're upset about."

"I'm not upset," he said quickly, pacing a little. "Look, you're very beautiful, you're gonna get hit on all the time. What I want to know is, when that happens, are those guys gonna be striking out?"

"Sports metaphors," Brennan mumbled, trying to work through it. "I gather you're asking me if I will accept social or sexual propositions in the future?" He gave one curt nod. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Some guy was hitting on you today and—"

"What?" Brennan's mind whirled and then comprehension hit. "You were at Founding Father's today? Why didn't I see you?"

"I left." Booth gave her a stormy look. "I just went in to grab some food because I was going to be at the office a few more hours and I saw ... you know what, it doesn't matter. The point is that I've been assuming certain things but that's always dangerous where you're concerned. So I just want to be clear."

"I see." Brennan folded her arms in front of her in consideration. "So you want to define the exclusivity of our relationship. And it doesn't matter one way or the other, just so long as it's clear, correct?"

His nostrils flared. "Right."

Brennan walked forward with narrowed eyes. "If we agree that we're both free to accept social invitations from other people, that would be clear, then. Would that be satisfactory?"

"Yes," Booth gritted out. The lie was only out there for a few seconds before he hissed, "No." He raked a hand over his hair in frustration. "Hell no. Just thinking about some guy buying you a drink and then taking you home is making me a little homicidal." Her eyes went wide and he cursed softly. "Damn it, we have a problem, don't we?"

"What would that problem be?"

"I offered you no-strings sex, but I couldn't keep my end of the deal, could I?" Booth laughed a little at his own self-delusion. "I should've known better because with you there's no such thing as no-strings anything. I'll never be able to touch you and not feel like you're mine, not feel like I belong to you too." With a tired sigh, he sat heavily on her couch. "There is no way I want you to see anyone else, okay. There. I said it. "

"Booth, do you really think I've been engaging in casual sex with you?"

His head snapped up. "No." The response was automatic because he knew there was nothing casual about what they'd been doing lately.

"Then why are you jealous?"

"I'm not," he defended, before sighing. "All right, fine. Yeah, okay, I am because I'm crazy about you, Bones. And I thought I knew what we were doing these past few weeks, but then I realized maybe I didn't really know. Maybe, I was just assuming and—"

"I don't know what you've been assuming, but I've been under the assumption that we've been involved in an exclusive romantic relationship."

"Right," he nodded. "That's, you know, been my assumption too. I just … I'm … I keep thinking how we started this and the thing is, just sex was never going to be enough between us. And I know it's not fair to change the rules on you now, but the truth is I don't want just one more time, all right, I want all the time, and—"

"Booth, are you rambling?"

He stopped short. "Yes." With a rueful smile, he popped up from the couch. "Yes, I am. Help me out here, Bones." His voice was soft, but serious. "What are we doing?"

"Well, I assumed that we were involved in a personal relationship," Brennan said carefully, taking one step in his direction. "And I assumed exclusivity in our relationship and though I have no way of predicting the future, I also assumed our relationship would continue indefinitely. At least, I have no plans to end it and I assumed you didn't either." Her eyes flickered. "Am I … are any of those assumptions incorrect?"

"What? No. No, no way," Booth said quickly, automatically moving closer to her. "Not incorrect at all. Aw, Bones, I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"No, you're very intelligent."

Booth chuckled softly at her earnestness. "No, I mean …" Shaking his head, he reached for her hand, tugging her forward. "I've been thinking for weeks that I should just tell you straight out that this is amazing. Not just the sex, which freaking rocks, but everything … kissing you, holding you, fighting over the covers—"

"We only fight over them because you hog the covers, Booth," she interjected quickly, voice prim and virtuous.

For a moment, he almost argued, but then decided not to let her derail him. "The point is, Bones, that I should have just told you and I should have just asked if you felt the same."

"I do," she replied, winding her arms around his neck and closing the gap between their lips. "And I can't ever go back to the way things were before. I wouldn't want to even if I could because that would mean I can't touch you, I can't hold you, I can't fight with you over your unfortunate lack of tidiness …"

"Hey," he objected, but his eyes were bright and his smile spreading uncontrollably. "I'm not that bad."

Like him, Brennan opted to forego the argument and continue with her point. "You don't have to be jealous, Booth. I only want you. I have for a very long time now."

"I wasn't jealous," Booth corrected, well aware he'd already copped to that particular emotion. "I was just annoyed."

"Liar," she whispered, gasping when his hands spanned her waist and lifted her.

"All right," he confessed, setting his lips to her throat in hungry kisses. "I did want to walk up to that idiot tonight and tell him you were mine."

"Actually, he was an engineer, so I doubt he was an idiot." He gave a little growl at her reply and Brennan smiled calmly. "He was also very pleasant and looked flatteringly crushed when I informed him of your existence."

"My existence?" Booth was momentarily distracted as her legs locked around his waist and her nails scraped along his neck. "What do you mean … wait, you told him you had a boyfriend?"

"I hardly think you qualify as a boy." Brennan sniffed a little at the term. "I merely told him I was romantically involved with my partner. I believe I might have mentioned you worked for the FBI and he was quick to accept defeat after that."

"Is it wrong that I am ridiculously turned on by that?" Booth pressed her against the hallway wall leading to the bedroom, hands dragging up her faded Northwestern T-shirt and growling in the back of his throat at the discovery of her unbound breasts.

"Well, anthropologically, such a reaction would be—"

"No," he whispered, cupping her lusciously perfect curves and rubbing his thumbs over her nipples until they pearled. "No anthropology. Just you. If I tell you to rake those nails down my back so hard, they feel like a brand, is it going to turn you on?" Without waiting for an answer, his hands slipped under her comfy sweatpants and cotton panties to mold her ass. "Because, I gotta tell you, thinking of using my teeth to brand you mine is sure as hell crossing my mind right now and just the thought is making me crazy."

She moaned softly and buried her face against his neck. Her teeth scraped over him and the urge to leave a mark was undeniable. Intellectually, Brennan was certain anthropology could explain her reaction as well as his, but she was only too happy to forego analysis at the moment. Half-naked in his arms it was simply impossible not to respond to the passion and possession of his touch.

Unlocking her legs and lowering her feet to the floor, she gave him a little shove back. His gaze met hers, but before he could utter a sound, Brennan reached forward and tore open his shirt. Grabbing the gaping lapels, she turned him roughly into the wall, pressing herself flush against him and rubbing against his erection. "_You_ are making me crazy," she growled, scoring her nails hard down his chest and heading straight for his belt buckle. "This possessive tendency of yours shouldn't be arousing, but it is."

"It's you," he gasped, yanking down her sweats and underwear and helping her with his own pants. "Only for you, dammit, that I lose my cool so completely. And I don't even care if you know it. I want you to want me out of control for you, I want you to make me yours, I want every damn thing there is, Bones." Shoes were kicked off as clothes pooled on the floor and they were both naked against the wall. His hands ran over her body, his lips feverish on her skin. "Tell me you want it too."

"Yes," she answered, voice low and husky. Her lips crashed on his, kissing him furiously. "I want you out of control and I want you to be mine. And I want you to never forget that you belong to me."

Her words sent him into overdrive and Booth grabbed her hips, flipping them so that she was pressed against the wall again. Her legs parted and he caressed between her thighs, working a finger between her folds. "God, yes," he panted raspily, finding her nice and ready. "You have no idea how hot it is to find you dripping wet for me."

His finger gave a pass over her clit before sliding down and into her tight channel. Booth added a second digit and she creamed even more around his pumping fingers. He couldn't wait another second to get inside her and grabbing her waist, he lowered her on his raging hard on. Brennan didn't even try to fight the loud moan that bubbled up her throat.

"_Yes_ … oh, god, Booth," she choked out when he buried himself deep inside her body. "Mmmmmm … move, please, move. I want to feel you, hard and fast and as deep as you can go."

A harsh noise escaped his lips and he hooked her thighs over his arms, keeping her spread open for him. "Believe me, I never forget," he swore, eyes locked on hers as he surged forward, pounding deep and hard inside her. "You know I tried, but hell, Bones, I'm fucking yours."

Brennan laughed breathlessly in delight, fingernails digging into him, mouth leaving wet, sucking kisses on the side of his neck. "I'm yours too."

"Aw, yeah," he groaned, capturing her mouth for a kiss and pistoning his cock deep into her. "Mine. All mine."

"Mine," Brennan moaned into his kiss, feeling every inhibition and rational thought disappear under each pounding thrust. His hips moved quick and hard and she let him drive her higher and higher.

Pleasure engulfed her in a rush and his mouth muffled her scream. Booth shuddered, his rhythm going jerky and frenzied the moment he felt her soft pussy clench him like a vise. Burying his face in the curve of her neck, he unloaded inside her, the fierce release leaving him lightheaded.

His body pinned her against the wall, but her legs lowered to the floor. Brennan rested her head on his shoulder, her soft pants caressing his neck. Booth turned his head and pressed a kiss to her damp brow. "You think we can make it to the bed?"

"Only if you carry me," Brennan admitted. "My knees feel quite gelatinous, and even though I know the bone is intact, walking right now would require effort I don't wish to exert."

Booth chuckled. "All right, give me a second." He was sure his limbs were just as weak as hers at the moment, but he was too much a guy to admit that carrying her would be nearly impossible.

"You can't carry me, can you?" she murmured knowingly, fingertips stroking his neck.

He tried to sniff in indignation, but it came out as more of a whimper. "Just give me a minute."

Brennan laughed, moving her hands in a lazy caress down his side, before giving him a little push back and grabbing his hand. "Let's go."

"I can so carry you," Booth protested, but he let her guide him to the bedroom.

Crossing the threshold, he wound an arm around her waist and they stumbled together, falling messily onto the bed. Booth couldn't help sighing in satisfaction as she sprawled all over him and his palms smoothed up and down her back happily.

"Booth?" One fingertip made an indistinct pattern on his chest.

"Mmm?"

"You know the annual Jeffersonian fundraiser?"

"Yeah," he murmured sleepily. "I go every year."

"Right. It's next week," Brennan explained. "And I … I want … I think …" she huffed out an annoyed breath at her lack of eloquence. "Come with me."

He recognized her shy voice and immediately went on alert. "I always go with you. I didn't think this year was going to be any different."

"Yes, but I …" Her fingers tapped his chest absently. "I mean go _with_ me," she stressed. "Not as a partner thing, but more like a … a…"

"A couple's thing?" he finished softly, running a hand up into her hair and tugging a little so she would look at him.

"Yes." Her brow furrowed in a tiny little frown. "I know you're very private about—"

His mouth swallowed her words and he rolled her over gently, peppering kisses over her now smiling face. "I will go _with_ you," Booth repeated softly, grinning with every word he kissed against her skin. "I will pick you up, I will kiss you hello, I will hold your hand and at the end of the night, I'm gonna take you home and make love to you all night."

Her smile spread. "You will?"

"Yes," he nodded solemnly. "New, explicit terms for our relationship. I get to take you home with me at the end of the night and not because we have paperwork to do."

She laughed softly. "Those terms are satisfactory."


	7. Body of Evidence

Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

A/N: As promised, epilogue and final chappie for this story. If you're late to the game, this has been a way too fun collab with **_Dispatch22705_** so if you haven't yet read her side of the story, you're missing out, so go check it out!

Enjoy!

**Body of Evidence**

* * *

"Oh my god," Cam breathed, turning wide eyes on Angela. "Are you seeing that?"

Angela followed her gaze to the dance floor, zeroing in on one particular couple. "Oh, they're just too hot, right?" She smiled, wide and wicked. "I'm getting singed just from here."

"Mmm …" Cam murmured distractedly, eyes glued to the dance floor in fascination, despite herself. She watched Booth smile down at Brennan, his splayed hands on her bare back unmistakably intimate. When he leaned down and brushed a soft kiss over her lips, Cam's jaw nearly dropped open. "I guess there'll be no more of their just partners song and dance," she concluded with a chuckle. "How long do you think that's been going on?"

"Years," Angela immediately replied.

"No, I mean …" Cam stopped short and smirked.

Angela laughed too and shrugged. "Probably as long as she's been going around with that happy glow." Her eyes tracked the swaying couple and they sparkled when she saw Brennan smile at whatever Booth whispered into her ear. "Aw, Cam, she looks really happy."

"Well, I've certainly never seen Booth look that blissful …" Even as she spoke, Cam considered the man she'd known for over fifteen years. "That look and that smile, though … that's always only been for Dr. Brennan."

Angela sighed, her romantic soul practically pulsing with giddiness. "I think I'm going to go find my husband and claim my own slow dance."

The song ended as Angela walked away in search of Hodgins and Cam watched Booth kiss Brennan one more time. It was just a quick brush of his lips over hers, but it seemed so tender, it nearly made her sigh. Her soul was not quite as romantic as Angela's, but she had to appreciate the rightness of these two people finally coming together. The evidence was simply in the way Booth smiled at his partner and then tucked a wavy strand of hair behind her ear.

**-x-**

One thin strap on her sleek evening gown was carefully slipped down and then another.

"Beautiful," Booth whispered, gathering her hair to the side and pressing his lips to the clean line of her shoulder. "Aw, Bones, you're so beautiful."

With a soft sigh, Brennan turned in his arms, head tipping back to allow his mouth to roam over her throat. He walked her back gently, lips moving across soft skin, hands working down a zipper.

From the living room to the bedroom there was a trail of elegant clothing; a flowing azure dress, a pressed white shirt, black panties and white briefs, high heels and cuff links all spread across the floor like paint on a canvas.

At the foot of the bed, Booth picked her up, setting her carefully amidst snow white sheets. Her hands reached for him, roaming his naked body in exploration. With a soft groan, he settled over her, breath hitching as her legs locked around his waist, arms around his shoulders.

Brennan's lips parted in a soundless little gasp when he slid inside her, softly and carefully filling her, inch by inch. He sank into her warmth, his own lips parting at the sensation. Booth watched her reaction and stroked his fingertips over her cheeks; amazed that even after all the times his body had slid inside hers, there always seemed to be something new to experience. It always seemed different somehow, her softness, her heat, the way her eyes glimmered; all so paradoxically familiar and new at the same time.

Her fingernails scraped along his back, but the sting was oh so gentle, just like the rhythm he had set between her thighs. He surged into her and she met each stroke, smooth and luxurious and building up the pleasure in drowsy waves that lapped playfully against them.

"Booth …" she whispered his name softly, her hands and lips showering soft caresses over him. In response, he closed one hand over her breast and her back arched automatically, one achy nipple pushing into the press of his thumb. One rotation of his finger and then his tongue was licking over the peak with infinite tenderness. Shivers broke out pleasantly all over her body as his lips and his tongue journeyed over her skin.

His mouth trailed over her chest so reverentially, Brennan was almost unprepared when his lips trailed up her throat to claim hers in a kiss so deep, it left her dazzled. Her hands tunneled in his hair, automatically holding him against her. With a gasp, their lips parted and he stared down at her with eyes so gleaming black, she could almost see her reflection.

"I love you."

Like liquid gold, the sweetest pleasure shuddered over their surging bodies and amidst soft, strangled gasps, there was only one response.

"I love you."

**-x-**

"You're watching me again," Booth murmured, eyes still closed and lips curving into a smile.

"You look very peaceful," Brennan replied by way of explanation. Quite a few mornings she had found herself waking up before him and staring, unable to help herself. "Is it … is it creepy?"

"What?" Booth's eyes flew open. "No. You can look all you want, Bones," he said, giving a lazy morning smile. "You can touch too, you know."

Brennan smiled as well and reached out a hand, fingertips stroking against his morning stubble. "Waking up and finding you next to me still feels surreal." Her hand cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing a purposeful circle over his skin. "The evidence is right here, but even after all these weeks, I wake up and I just … I guess I watch you because I'm convincing myself you're, in fact, right here."

He cupped his hand over hers and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm. "I am. I am right here." His other arm circled around her waist, sliding her body flush against his. "I don't ever want to be anywhere else."

"Good," she whispered against his neck, fingers curling tightly over his nape. "Because I want you to be here always."

"I plan to." Booth slid his hand from the dip of her spine down to cup her bottom possessively. "I swear. I'll give you all the evidence you need on that."

Her lips curved against his warm skin and she slid a bare thigh over his hip, getting as close as possible. "Will you?"

"Yes," Booth promised, rolling her under him in one easy, unhurried move. Capturing her tiny moan with his mouth, he slid home with a soft moan of his own. "Any type of evidence, any way you want it, Bones."

* * *

**-x-**

_**p.s. This has been such a fun collab and I hope every one that's read has enjoyed it as much as I have! If you feel so inclined, drop us a line and let us know! :)**_


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